


Losing You

by VesperL2



Category: JONAS, Jonas Brothers
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Character Death, Clues, Drama, Flashbacks, Gen, Lair Of Eternal Laughter, Metaphors, Romance, Roses, Sick Character, Songs, Summer Camp, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-12
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-02-20 21:46:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2444312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VesperL2/pseuds/VesperL2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It deals with the biggest mistake we all make which is dwelling on the past instead of just making strides towards the future. All too often we get stuck spinning our wheels trying to fix things without ever realising how much life is passing us by because we’ve forgotten how much there is to just look forward to.” –Jonas Brothers</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Losing Ways

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story Approximately two to three years ago. And it's already finished. The firsts chapters are not exactly perfect. But as the story progresses the problems thicken and it starts getting well verse and interesting. If you give it a chance, you'll find that my lacking writing skills and developing plot in the beginning are made up for as it continues. So Allons-y!

 

_Chapter 1: Losing Ways_

 

1 Fly On A Web

 

“Mom!” Screamed a boy standing on the stairwell. “Have you seen my lucky jacket?”

“Dude, it’s on the sofa, where you left it yesterday. Remember?” Said his curly haired brother who was having breakfast in the kitchen.

“I’m sorry _Mr. President_ , but I am so excited on going to the camp that I already started packing.” Answered the boy looking impatient.

“Nick, don’t you think you’re being rude with Joe?” Intervened a green eyed boy who just had walked in. “Don’t you see he’s like that because he can’t wait to spend 2 months in a camp with his girlfriend?” Said he  making fun of his brother.

“Oh! Yes I almost forgot that Joe thinks these are gonna be the perfect days with his girlfriend Stella.” Said Nick trying to help Kevin bother him.

“She’s not my girlfriend, I only see her as a good friend,” Joe answered while joining his brothers on the table and pouring out a bowl of his favorite cereal _Crunchy Cats_. “I am excited because it’s gonna be a great adventure.” He explained, but obviously his brothers didn’t believe him. 

“Joe, we have been on tour the last 2 years, you are a rock star, and because of what other reason would you be excited about being on a camp, if it’s not the fact of being close to Stella?” Nick asked intimidating.

Joe hesitated for a moment but then said, “Maybe I just wanna get close to you, ever thought about that, little brother?” Said looking nervous and trying to drown that awkward situation with a joke.

 

“Well, we were just saying that it would be so romantic,” Kevin tried to make his brother say something committing. “I mean, just imagine it, you and Stella under the stars at night, with a beautiful forest around you. Any girl would fall for that.” Said Nick understanding what his brother was trying to do.

“That sounds good! Stella is so funny, smart and pretty. She’s perfect.” Said Joe being caught in his brothers’ trap.

“ _Hahaha_ looks like our Joe has to learn how to think before he speaks.” Nick said making Joe realize what he had just said.

 

At that moment, there was a consistent knock on the door. “The doorbell!” Joe said running to the door, getting away of his brothers trying to make him say the truth. “Talking about Stella,” Joe was  running like crazy, impatient to see the blonde friend. “…the good thing is that he only sees her as a friend.” Kevin went with the irony.

“Stella, Joe has said something really funny, you are gonna laugh till you die!” Said Nick trying to make Stella realize what just happened.

“Hi Stella! How are you? Wanna come in? Wanna have some tea? Come sit on the living room! And don’t listen to what my brothers say, they’re just crazy and they make things up.”

“Joe!” Screamed the girl, interrupting his friend, looking kinda confused. “Why are you acting so weird?” She asked. “You look nervous.”

“Nervous? Me? Oh come on! I’m just trying to make you sit here! On the sofa!” Joe continued.

“But your brothers are over there.”

“Who cares about them, jumping on the sofa is so much fun! Come on, jump with me!”

“No Joe! I wanna hear what’s so funny.”

“It’s not funny! Believe me, it’s about a tractor and a hair dryer…nothing funny there.”

“I love hair dryers and I think tractors are hilarious! So I’m gonna go there and hear that joke.”

 

Joe followed her to the kitchen, worrying about what his brothers may tell her. “Hi Stella, guess what Joe just said about you,” Kevin told her in a mysterious way. “He just said that you are funny.” Said Nick laughing.

“And pretty,” Kevin said completing the sentence, bothering Joe. Nick liked the situation so he said, “he also said you are smart.”

“and pretty!” Said Kevin making emphasis on the _pretty_ thing.

“Oh! Really? Joe that’s so sweet, but why were you talking about me?” Stella said showing her mind was completely tangled.

“I was talking about you because I think you…” Joe stayed quiet for a while, thinking on a excuse. “...You have very beautiful feet.”

 

His brothers laughed and Stella just ignore Joe’s estrange acting and moved on.

They sat there for 2 hours, talking about irrelevant things, till the doorbell rang again but this time was someone completely unexpected.

 

* * *

 

2 Surprise! 

 

The oldest brother stood up and walked toward the door, while everyone else was so confused because they weren’t expecting a visit. Kevin opened the door.

“Hi Kevin!” Said a brown haired girl.

“Hi Macy!” Answered the boy looking estranged.

“We weren’t expecting you,” Nick said from the kitchen where he was sitting.

“What my brother tried to say was it’s a surprise to see you here.” Kevin said quickly trying to fix his brother’s rude way to treat her. “Come in.”

“Thank you Kevin, hi everyone! I was thinking about the camp thing, and I couldn’t wait to go, so I came here to watch this movie.” The girl explained taking out a movie from her purse.

“What kind of movie is it?” Asked the younger brother while eating his last piece of pancake.

“It’s a funny one.”

“Great! I love watching movies about people who’s funny like me!” Said the middle brother trying to make himself look mysterious.

“Do you consider funny to paint a _moustache_ in my face while I’m sleeping like you did yesterday?” Nick said looking a little annoyed by his brother’s jokes.

“Yes!” Everybody answered at the same time.

“So let’s see that movie you brought Macy!” Said Kevin while turning on the TV.

 

“Stella, why are you so quiet? You look sad,” Joe asked. “Is everything OK?”

“Yeah! I’m just a little bit dizzy and tired,” she said.

“So why don’t you go upstairs to lay in the guest room?, maybe you need to stay still for a little while.” Joe said kindly .

 

Stella went up to lay, because maybe she just needed a little rest, like his best friend said; but she knew something was completely wrong.

She stayed there for almost an hour but it wasn’t working, so she came down and decided to go back to her house. They watched the movie and Macy went back to her house 2 hours later. The fire house was completely quiet since his parents went to his uncle house with Frankie. Joe kept packing, Nick was writing a song and Kevin was watching TV. The phone began to ring.

 

“Nick! Could you please pick up?” Kevin and Joe said together.

“I’m writing a song; you are there doing nothing and you can’t answer the phone?” Said Nick a little annoyed.

“No! we can’t, It’s too far away!” Said Kevin mocking him. “Yeah! I can’t reach it.” Joe followed his older brother. “You are incredible.” Nick said. “We know it dude, could you stop telling things we already know and just answer the phone?” Joe continued bothering him. “Ok ok, I’m going,” Nick just followed the flow and picked up.

“Stella! Hi! How are you!?” Nick said it out loud so Joe could hear it. “I’m sorry but Joe is a little busy right now and he can’t answer you.”

“Give me that phone!” Joe ran to Nick.

Covering the phone mic so Stella couldn’t hear. “No Joe! You said you were too busy to talk to anyone, so now I’m gonna talk to her. “Nick said with a wicked smile on his face.

“Give me that!” Joe snatched the phone of Nick’s hands and answered it. “Hi Stella I’m here. What is it? What!, why?”

 

* * *

 

 

3 The Call

 

“Why? But you promised me you were coming! Not in the mood? How can you not be in the mood to go camping? We’ve planed this for weeks. There’s no other time! The tour starts in 2 months!” Joe started to feel so sad about it. “Yeah! I guess we’ll have to go without you! Sorry? Don’t worry for me I’ll be fine! I just can’t believe you are gonna break the promise because of your laziness! Ok don’t give me more excuses because I don’t wanna hear them, bye!” Joe hung up the phone.   

 

“What happened?” Kevin asked looking worried as they came down to the kitchen where Joe was talking to her.

“It’s Stella” Joe said. “She’s not going to camp with us.”

“What!, why?” The 2 brothers said in sync.

“That’s exactly the same reaction I had.” Joe said. “Joe why she’s not coming?” Nick asked. 

“She said she’s not _in the mood_.” Joe said this looking pissed up. 

“But she promised you she was going,” Kevin argued.

“Thanks Kevin for remind me that, you are really helping me.” Joe was beginning to act rude with his brothers.

“Sorry but I didn’t know you were,” Kevin tried to explain himself when he was interrupted by Nick saying. “Joe, it’s not Kevin’s fault that Stella is not going, he’s only trying to understand the situation!”

“I know, but it makes me mad because these days were going to be fun.” Joe said. “And now she’s not coming, I can’t believe she’d let me down like that.”

“Yeah! You were so excited about your date with her,” Kevin said trying to bother his brother. 

“Kevin, this is no time for jokes.” Nick said serious. “Yeah! I’m not talking about that! You, _ding dong!”_ Joe was so angry at them in that moment.

“Guys! Don’t fight of stupid things now.” Nick calmed the situation. “Joe tell us what else did she say.”

“Nothing more, she just said _Maybe it could be in some other time_.“ Joe imitated her voice. “Ok, we barely had time for this one, and the tour starts in two months, then the recording of the next album, the school, and the other tour is next; so I don’t think we could go camping again in like 2 years!” Kevin said. 

“I know, that’s why I was craving to go with her but... I think this time will be just us,”

“And Macy.”

“Yeah! And Macy.”

 

The boys walked to their bedroom again and Joe just let himself fall in the bed.

“Aren’t you going to keep packing?” Nick said.

“Don’t feel like to.” He said so tired and kind of depressed.

“So what are you gonna do?”

“Sleep.”

“Ok man, be happy, there will be other times to be with her, ok?”

“Yeah,” He said almost falling asleep.

“Goodnight bro.”

“Night.”

And he slept for 12 hours in a row.

 

* * *

 

 

4 “She’s What??”

 

“Joe, Joe, Joe!” Nick screamed on Joe’s ear and he fell off the bed.

“Couldn’t you just say it a little more quietly?” Joe said trying to stop the headache his brother had just caused him.

“We tried, but you are a deep sleeper.” Kevin explained. “And it’s funny to see you fall.”

“Good to see my internal bleeding amuses you.” Joe said sarcastically.

“Come on! The camp starts in 1 hour.” Nick said.

“Who cares?” Joe answered tiredly.

“Joe, could you please show a little of enthusiasm?” Kevin replied.

“Yippee! Nothing better than 2 months in a horrible place! Full of bugs, dirt, boredom, and happy faces!” Joe said sounding sarcastic.

“Just dress up and go downstairs.” Nick said tired of his brother’s paddy.

The two brothers went to have breakfast, they were sitting on the table when the middle brother came down in the pole and joined them.

“Are you a little better now?” They asked worried about him.

“Uh ha.” Joe answered. “This is gonna be so interesting, you’ll see, maybe it’ll even change your life.” Nick said trying to make him feel better.

“Oh! Come on Nick! One camp doesn’t change your life.” Kevin said. “That’s for naïve people.”

But Nick was right, as always, the lives of all of them were about to change radically thanks to this camp. They drove half an hour till they got to the camp.

“Where is everyone?” Kevin asked looking for the other campers.

“We are everyone!” Said a voice so deep and grave; it was the camp chief, Gary Lee. “We are just gonna be 8: me, the cooker Rachel, the doctor Bob, you three, Macy Misa and Stella Malone.”

“Then we’re gonna be 7.” Joe argued. “Seven?” Gary asked looking confused. “Yes seven; Stella Malone is not coming.”

“But she just called and said she needed a lot of room in her cottage for her equipment.” Said Gary after leading them to their cabins.

“Are you sure it was Stella Malone?” Kevin asked with a little of skepticism.

“Yes gentleman, I’m sure it was her.” The chief said proudly.

“Cool, but what equipment?” Kevin asked curious.

“Who cares! that means she is coming!” Joe screamed.

“Then you could have your date under the stars!” Nick started mocking him, “You know, I’m so happy right now because she’s not gonna break her promise that I don’t care if you two bother me all year long,” Joe said completely happy.

“Well boys, I’m gonna show you your cabins.” Gary said. “You will have your own cottage for each one of you.”

 

Gary showed them their cabins, they were so beautiful, all made of wood, starting from Kevin’s that was surrounded by green fields, then Nick’s that was next to a lake, and finally Joe’s, it was in the middle of the forest; every cottage had a lot of vintage furniture, and they also had a little kitchen so they could have breakfast and dinner. The chief let them feel at home, they unpacked and went outside to sit on the grass. Except for Joe that was still on his cabin.

“Don’t you think it’s wonderful that Stella is coming?” Nick said looking relieved.

“Yeah! I think it’s so good that Joe’s normal again, I don’t like to see him sad,” Kevin continued.

“And do you think he really likes her or just love her as friends?”

“I don’t know, that’s the problem about Joe, he never says how he feels,”

“That’s true, he’s always saying something but when it really matters he stays quiet or camouflages his feelings. When he’s sad he looks angry, when he’s afraid he looks proud, I hope that someday he will let us know how he really feels.”

“Yeah, but that’s gonna be hard because he has always been like that, he will need a huge shock to let it out.”

“You’re right bro.”

“Hi! Guys!” Said a brown haired girl.

“Hi Macy!” They answered.

“Have you seen Stella?” She asked.

“She hasn’t arrive yet.” Kevin said.

“Oh! But I already brought her her stuff.”

“What stuff?” Nick asked.

“The stuff she needs for her _Problem_.” She continued.

“Problem? What problem?” Kevin argued.

“Her problem, remember?”

“No, I don’t remember her having any problem.” Nick said looking as confused as his brother.

“Haven’t she told you?” She asked.

“Told us what?” They started to freak out.

“That she is sick.” She said sadly.

“Sick?” They said together looking estranged. “Of what?” 

“Ok, that means you don’t know, I’m sorry but I can’t tell you.”

“Macy, you have to tell us,” Kevin said so worried. 

“Ok, ok, I’ll tell you, but can’t tell Joe,” She said.

“You can’t tell me what, guys?” Said Joe standing behind them with an intimidating face.

“Nothing Joe, just silly things.” Kevin answered nervous.

“ _You can’t tell Joe_ didn’t sound like silly things, right Macy?” Joe was so upset about they hiding him something. “What’s that thing important enough to make you not to tell me?” He asked.

“Joe, Stella is really sick,” Nick said to him with all the kindness he could, but is wasn’t enough, Joe dropped the glass of water he had on his hand a second before.

 

* * *

 

 

5 “G-6-PDD”

 

Joe kept completely quiet and staring at the ground with a scared look.

“Joe.” Nick said.

“What! Sick? She can’t be sick! She’s Stella!” Joe started to talk to himself “Joe!” Nick tried to make his brother go out of his world and come back to this one.

“Sick of what Macy?” Joe asked afraid.

“She has Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency.” Macy hesitated but answered anyway.

“What’s that?” They said.

“It’s an hereditary disorder in which the red globules discompose when the body is exposed to certain kind of drugs or stress,” She explained.

“Is there a cure for that?” Kevin asked softly.

“I’m afraid no, there are a lot of ways of treating it but she’s gonna live with it forever.” Macy said.

“So she didn’t wanna come because of that,” Joe said looking guilty. “I can’t believe I yelled at her.”

“That’s terrible.” Kevin replied.

“I feel so guilty.” Joe said.

“And look, there she comes,” Nick said.

“Hi Guys!” Said Stella.

“Hi!” The three brothers answered with obvious fake smiles.

“Stella… they know,” Macy told her smoothly.

“You told them?” Stella screamed.

“Stella, easy, it’s not her fault, we made her to tell us,” Nick intervened wisely.

“Yeah, sorry Macy.” Stella said sadly. “I overreacted.”

“Don’t worry, it’s OK,” Macy said.

“So anyone knows where my cottage is?” Stella asked a little happier.

“I know” Said Macy and Joe at the same time.

“It’s next to...” Again together. “Macy’s…mine.”

“But I guess Joe’s more helpful on the _Carrying things_ thing.” Macy said so Joe could go with her.

“What if we go all together?” Kevin said knowing how awkward the situation was gonna be.

“Ok, that’s great.” Stella said happily. 

They walked to her room and started to unpack all of her medical stuff. There were a few syringes, cotton, and other _Doctor_ stuff.

“What’s this.” Nick asked with a set of headphones on his hands.

“That’s my stethoscope,” She answered proudly.

Nick put that thing on. “It sounds like a drum or something, we could do a song with this!” He said so excited.

“I’m glad this is gonna work for something,” Stella said a little bit depressed.

“I’m sorry Stella, didn’t mean to.” The curly haired tried to apologize to her.

“It’s Ok Nick, I know you didn’t mean to hurt me or something,” Stella said happy again.

“Stella we think it’s awesome for you to take this easy,” Kevin said this reconfortant.

“Why do you have three of these?” Macy said with the headphones Nick left on the bed after feeling sorry for her.

“I don’t know, but I guess two of them are gonna be left unused,” She said.

Joe kept looking at the headphones and analyzing something. “Can I keep these two left?” He said.

“Sure, why not?, I’m not gonna use them anyway.”

“Thank you.”

“So I guess it’s time for me to go, those headphones gave me an idea for a new song.” Nick said leaving the room.

“Us too, Kevin promised me he was gonna teach me how to play the guitar.” Macy said pushing the older brother out of the cottage.

“So I guess it’s just you and me right now,” Stella said like if he hadn’t yelled at her the day before.

“Stella, can I talk to you?”

 

* * *

 

 

6 I Guess I’m…Sorry?

 

“Of course Joe, what is it?” Stella said calmly.

“I, I wanted to talk to you, because...” Joe stuttered.

“Because?” Stella said trying to make him speak.

“Because, I... do you want some tea?” It was so difficult for him to say it.

“Joe!” Stella was tired of him avoiding the subject.

“I was trying to tell you that I’m... “ He was looking for the right words.

“Sorry?” Stella asked assuming that was what he was trying to say.

“Yes.” He said completely sad and ashamed.

“Don’t worry it’s OK.”

“No!, it’s not OK, I yelled at you with no reason when I should’ve been there for you.”

“I know you did it because you didn’t know I was sick, I would had done the same thing.”

“I doubt it, you are so sensitive and lovely, you could never do that to anyone.”

“Joe, you are sensitive and lovely too, what do you say if we forget about what happened and start this again?”

“It would be cool, but just one more question.”

“What is it?”

“Why did you tell Macy not to tell us?”

“I told her that because I didn’t wanted you to know.”

“Yeah, I can assume that, but why?”

“I did it because, because with all your busy lives and touring, I didn’t want you to feel worried about me.”

“But Stella I AM worried, it’s impossible not be worried if your best friend is sick, and I understand you don’t want us to feel sorry or something but that doesn’t mean that you had to hide it from me.”

“I know and I don’t know what I was trying to do, because you are the person who knows me better than anyone, but with you yelling at me and that kind of stuff, I felt that it was better to keep it to myself.”

In that moment Nick got in the room with a guitar on his hands and saying he needed help to know if it sounded good. The three of them wrote that song together and then went to the general assembly.

 

“Hi everyone! I am Gary Lee, the camp chief, I see we have a reduced number of campers this time,” He said cheery. “But you 5 will have company, tomorrow other campers are gonna stay here, but don’t worry they are completely chilled, and they won’t make a scene because of your profession.” With _profession_ he meant famous rockstars. “And I think you will like the 5 of them, well anyway now you could go to sleep because I think you are tired after this first day, and tomorrow your activities will start.” He ended.

They all headed to their cabins and went to sleep, except for Joe, who was trying to sleep, but his head was confused, he felt guilty and worried, he rolled in his bed for 5 hours trying to forget about the situation until he finally fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

 

7 The Time Flies

 

Joe woke up at 5 AM and walked out of his cottage, he walked up to the hill and sat there watching the great view, you could see the lake and part of the forest, he stayed there, thinking about how to make the situation better, watching the sunrise, he felt so calm up there, but finally he had to come down.

 

Everyone was sitting on the grass waiting for him, although he didn’t know it, he stayed in the hill for almost 4 hours.

“Joe! We’ve been waiting for you.” Kevin said.

“Hi! Guys.” Joe said completely normal. “Hi! Stella! How are you? How do you feel today?” Joe asked to her caring and kind.

“I feel fine, thank you.” Stella answered estranged. “Don’t you know what time is it Joseph?” Nick asked him looking pissed off.

“Like 6:30?” He said with a little of doubt.

“It’s nine o’clock! You were supposed to be here for the assembly two hours ago!” Nick told him almost yelling.

“Uh oh!” Joe realized he stayed there for a lot time. “ _Uh oh?_ Joe this is not a joke, now the camp chief thinks that we are just another rock star drama stars type! Anyway, where were you?” Nick asked him while he was standing in front of him so imposing.

“I was…” Joe preferred to keep that beautiful place for himself.  “Exploring.” He lied.

“Ok, whatever Joe, I’ll pretend I believe you, now we have to go to the assembly because we are already 2 hours late thanks to you,” He grunted.

They got to the assembly and the camp chief introduced the new members of the camp.

“She is Jenna.” He said smiling at a straight and black hair, brown eyes and kind girl.

“He is Sean.” He said while introducing a tall, blonde haired, and nice guy who also happens to be Jenna’s brother.

“She is Marianna,” Said showing a blonde, curly haired girl, with brown eyes, she was absolutely fun and wild, and pretty good looking too.

“He is Jimmy.” Said about a black and straight haired boy, who looked kinda weird and mysterious.

“And she is Dianna.” Said introducing the last girl, who had brown hair, but half of it dried with blue, green and purple, she had blue eyes and a clearly sense of fashion. She looked confident, but a little conceited.


	2. Losing Focus

_Chapter 2: Losing Focus_

 

8 The New Ones

 

The new campers sat with the guys, at first there was an awkward silence as they were sitting on the grass, but then Kevin and Macy decided to break the ice.

“So, what’s up?” Kevin said trying to end with the silence. “Where are you from?” Macy continued.

“We are all from San Diego.” Answered Sean.

“I was born in Mexico but I live in San Diego.” Marianna said cherry.

“Cool.” Kevin answered.

“I’m from Oregon.” Jimmy continued.

There was silence again; all of them were waiting for Dianna to say where she is from.

“So where are you from?” Joe asked her.

“I was born in Jersey.” He said annoyed.

“Just like us! right Nick?” Macy said, Nick just rolled his eyes and nodded.

They kept talking for 1 hour but they had to prepare so they went to their assigned cottages.

Jimmy was in the same cabin as Sean, and Jenna, Marianna & Dianna in another one.

“So, I have to stay with you these 2 months?” Dianna asked irritated.

“I’m afraid you’re right.” Marianna answered.

“This is gonna be a nightmare!” Dianna continued with her paddy.

“Could you just pretend you are excited and not ruin our camp?” Jenna was on Marianna’s side.

“Ok ok, I’ll be as you two. _I like pink color and flowers_. Now am I being all girly and cheerful?” She said mocking them.

“Right now you’re being annoying.” Marianna said as they 3 were unpacking their stuff.

“I will tell Gary I want my own Cottage.” Dianna said.

“Please do.” Marianna pleaded.

“Good luck with that,” The two of them said.

On the other side of the camp Nick was walking to his brother’s cabin.

“Joe!” Nick screamed as he walked in Joe’s cottage.

“One second!” Said Joe; Nick entered anyway. “Joe could you lend me your, what are you hiding?” He asked as his brother was quickly trying to conceal something behind his back. “Nothing, I’m not hiding anything.” Joe said slightly nervous. “Let me see,” Nick said pulling his brother’s arms until he finally let go what he had between his hands

“What’s this?”

 

* * *

 

 

9 It’s All About The Way, Bro!

 

“What’s this?” Nick asked with 2 sets of stethoscopes connected with each other on his hands.

“Give me that!” Joe said trying to snatch the stethoscopes back.

“Are these Stella’s headphones?” Nick asked wickedly.

“No. Give’em back.” Joe said completely blushed.

“Well this looks like 2 of Stella’s stethoscopes glued together with tape.” 

“Hey! They’re not glued with tape!, I worked too hard to make both stethoscopes sound in both headphones!” Joe said looking at it disappointed.

“I’m sorry dude, it looks amazing, I was just trying to make you speak.” Nick apologized.

“Yeah! Its ok, they’re not gonna work anyway,” Joe said sadly.

“Why not? They work perfectly, I can hear both sounds in both sides!” Nick said as he was trying on the headphones.

“I know they work, but I don’t know why I fixed them to do that.” Joe said.

“Maybe you did that to use them with Stella.” Nick said trying to make Joe realized he always knew inside what he was doing, he just needed someone to show him what it was.

“Why do you 2 keep insisting that I like her?” Joe said as his sad face was turning into a frown.

“I’m not saying that, what I mean is that maybe you just wanna protect her,” Nick explained.” I don’t know.” Joe answered.

“Hey, changing the subject, do you also notice that Kevin was flirting with this new girl?” Nick said excited.

“Yeah, I know, the blonde haired one.” Joe said as excited as his brother,” It looks like our brother is growing up.”

“He has already grown up, he’s our older brother, remember?” Nick said correcting him.

“Yeah! You’re right!” Joe said laughing.

“I think is gonna be fun to have the 5 of them here,” Nick said. “Except for the girl with the colors hair, she looks so odious.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because all the time we were sitting on the grass, she had an _I-don’t-wanna-Be-here_ face.”

“Well I didn’t notice that, in fact I think she was pretty cool.”

“Joe are you serious?, please don’t tell me you’re falling in love with her.” Nick said worried.

“I am NOT falling in love with her; I just said she’s cool.”

“Ok bro, I believe you,” Said Nick. “And how is it going with Stella?”

“Well, she’s still sick.”

“I know that Joe, I mean how is your relationship going?”

“We don’t have a relationship ok!”

“Ok ok I was just bothering you.”

“It’s not funny.”

“It is for me.”

“Well what thing do you want me to lend you?”

“That’s right, I was wondering if you could lend me your jacket?”

“Which one?”

“Your brown jacket.”

“Yeah! Take it, it’s over there,” Joe said pointing to his closet.

“Thanks dude,” Said Nick walking through the door. “Oh! I almost forgot, why don’t you give Stella the headphones?, it would be nice of you.”

“But, they’re not a big deal.”

“It isn’t about the gift, it’s about the intention.”

“I don’t know,” Joe said.

“Just think about it ok?” Nick said blinking one eye as he walked out of his brother’s cottage.

 

* * *

 

10 I Am mmm….

 

They all walked to the cafeteria to start the activity.

“Ok, this first activity is gonna be to know each other better.” Said Gary. This will help you to become best friends!” He continued.

“But we are best friend since kinder garden!” Said Joe referring to Stella.

“Joe, he’s talking about the other campers,” Kevin explained to his brother.

“He’s right! I mean to know those you don’t know, ok I’m gonna start giving you these 3 pieces of paper, you’re gonna write your name in one of them and give it to me.” He explained as he was distributing the papers.

“Ok, I’ve finished,” Said Macy.

“Good! Now give them all back to me.” Gary said cheerfully. “Now you all have to say three words that describe you best, starting with Marianna.”

“Smart, good listener and, you know it’s so difficult, mysterious,” She said .

“Good! Now you Jenna,” Gary said.

“I’m kind, funny and messy.” She said.

“Nick your turn.”

“Musical, bossy and mature.” Nick said confidently.

“Wow! Ok your turn Macy.”

“Cheery, happy, and nice.” She said laughing.

“Good, now you Sean.”

“Strong, smart and good looking?” He said joking.

“Ok I’ll let you stay with that just because you made me laugh, now you Stella.” 

“Fashionable, caring and highly temperamental.”

“Cool! Now you Jimmy.”

“I’m unusual, different and bizarre.” He said creepily.

“ok I guess that’s ok, so your turn Kevs.”

“I’m random, cheery and grounded.”

“Ok now what about you Dianna?”

“I’m different, fashionable, mysterious, sexy, good looking. I’m perfect.” She said arrogantly.

“Let’s move on, Joe I guess it has to be you.”

“I’m sensitive, caring and funny?” He said insecure.

Everybody laugh, this made Joe feel happy.

“Ok that was good, so now I want you to pick a piece of paper from my hand, but don’t read it yet!” Gary said with his hands full of papers. “Now you will have to write a paragraph about the person you have on that paper, I mean what do you truly think about them.”

Everyone seemed pleased of who they had to write about except for one person.

 

* * *

 

 

11 The Paper

 

“Now, write the name of the person in the paper and write what you think about them.” Gary said as this boy was opening his paper and turning his beautiful smile into a frown.

“What’s wrong dude?” Kevin asked his brother looking how upset he was.

“Nothing, just I’m a little bit dizzy.” He answered.

“Ok, but are you sure you are right?” He asked again worried.

“Yes man, I am sure.” He said.

“Ok Joe, now write in that paper.” He said cheery.

Joe looked around and all of them were writing on their paper thinking about what to write. Joe saw his paper again, he couldn’t believe he could have such a bad luck “I guess I have to write about her” He thought. “But the funny thing is that I don’t know why I’m so pissed off” He was mad and confused at the same time but he’ll have to write about her anyway.

“So, now give me all the papers.” Gary said.

Joe quickly wrote the first thing that came out from his mind and gave the paper to Gary.

“Ok, now I’m gonna passed them to the person to whom they were wrote.”

And Gary gave the papers to all of them, and everybody read them, they were happy, it looked like all of them were pleased about what someone wrote about them, this was supposed to help them to realized who was the person who wrote about them, they did everything Gary told them to, and then they had a time off to rest, Joe went to his cottage and wrote about what happened that day.

 

Joe’s notes:

 

_I opened my letter and it said “I think you are so interesting, and I really want to know you better,” I was so estranged and confused, then Gary told us we had to walked through the person we wrote about & receive back the paper. We started with Kevs who walked to Marianna, they smile flirty at each other and Kevin turned around laughing. I don’t know if they like each other or what, but they look kinda interested, well anyway, the next 1 was Macy who walked to this strange guy that is named Jimmy, she was a little bit afraid because he’s so intimidating, then was Jenna’s turn who wrote about Nick, he just smiled at her nicely and she just turned around, then Jimmy walked to Sean and went awayrudely, Sean looked kinda confused, and I would had done the same thing, the next one was Marianna who wrote about Jenna, then was my turn, I was so nervous because I couldn’t remember what I wrote, so I finally walked to Dianna and received my paper back, I quickly opened the paper and read what I wrote, it was: “I think you are cool, and well I don’t know I think I kinda like you,” I can’t believe I put that! I hope this doesn’t cause any problem, well in my head it is a problem, I don’t know why I think she’s cool, and I don’t even know if I really like her, I’m so confused, I guess I have to make up my mind, well anyway while I was shocked Stella walked to Macy and they hugged, it was a beautiful moment, a shame I was so busy trying to untangle my mind, then Sean walked to Kevs and took back his paper, and Nick walked to Stella, oh! How I wish it was me who had to write about her and not about Dianna, well unfortunately the last one was Dianna and the only one who was missing was me, she started walking toward me and I felt so nervous, she smiled wickedly at me and said in my ear “I think I kinda like you too,” only me could hear it but now I don’t know what to do, I think I made a mistake, and now I guess I’ll have to fix it._

 

* * *

 

 

12 Lost & Lonely

 

Joe had to think about how to repair what he had done, so he thought about going to that beautiful place, at the top of the hill, that place where you could see all in a different view, and I’m not just talking in a literal way, up there, the peace that place makes you feel, helps you to find what you’re not looking for, but you’ll be happy to find, so that was the only hope for him.

 

He walked through there climbing, this time it took him more to get to the top, but he finally did, he sat there thinking and looking at the sky.

“What am I gonna do now?” He said worried.

“I have to tell Dianna I’m not interested, but I don’t know if I wanna tell her that, I need someone to tell me what to do! I’m confused, my head is full of voices that tell me to go in different directions, I need someone! I need Stella, she always knows what to do. But the thing here is that I can’t tell her this!” He was so desperate, he walked down the hill and tried to find one of his brothers, he needed something else to distract himself of thinking about her, that place made him think about Dianna, so he decided to quit going for a while.

 

As he was walking through the field he saw Kevin, so he stopped.

“Hi dude! Where were you?” The green eyed boy said.

“I was in my cottage,” He said lying.

“I was there like two seconds ago and you weren’t.” He said catching his brother’s trick.

“Ok I was, in this place I found at the top of that hill, that’s so beautiful, and peaceful, I like to go up there to think and relax.” Joe hesitated but said it anyway.

“Wow, that’s cool man!, and what did you have to think about?” He asked curious.

“About nothing Kevs.”

“Ok, if it was someone else I would be worried, but knowing how crazy you are, I’ll leave it like that.”

“Thanks bro!” He said sarcastically.

“You know what I’m talking about!”

“Yeah!”

“Ok, I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

“Go where?”

“I told Marianna I was gonna teach her how to play the guitar.”

“Are you gonna teach the whole world how to play guitar?”

“No, just Macy and Marianna.”

“Ok, I understand that Macy is our friend and Marianna, well you have a feeling for her.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing, just run away to teach her!”

“Ok, I’ll do that, bye.” Kevin said as he was running away.

“I’m alone again, well that’s great!” He said to himself ironically.

“Not for long cutie!” Said a voice behind him.

 

* * *

 

 

13 I Indeed Can See…

Joe turned around and saw Dianna, his mind was completely confused, he couldn’t talk to her after what had just happened, so he only stared at her, hearing her say irrelevant things and asking him out every 5 minutes, he didn’t say anything because he didn’t know how to answer that question. He didn’t know if he wanted to go out with her or not, so he stayed quiet for about 20 minutes while Dianna was talking, until she realized he was no longer listening.

 “Joe!, are you even listening to me?” She yelled.

“Excuse me, what?” He said returning to life.

“I asked you if you wanna go and have lunch with me, I mean you like me right?” She said committing Joe.

“Umm,” Joe hesitated.

“Yeah!, I knew it, you don’t like me, you just put that in the paper because you’re a rock star and you think everybody wants you.” She said disappointed.

“No, no, I meant it, but I was just, thinking about why would you ask it again?” Joe said making up an excuse.

“Ok, cool, that means I’ll see you at 3 o’clock on the cafeteria.”

“Yeah! I think.” Joe said doubting.

“Ok, now I have to go and put in order all of my stuff, and guess what! I have my own cabin now!” She said as she walked away cheery, she really seemed happy.

 

Joe stayed there thinking about what he had just done, now he’ll have to go with her. He waited till 3 o’clock and walked to the cafeteria, he saw her sitting on the table waiting for him excited.

“Hi Dianna, I’m here,” He said with not so much enthusiasm.

“Hi Joe! I’m glad you’re here.”

“Yeah, me too, so I’m gonna sit right here,” He said sitting on the other side of the table as far away as possible from where she was.

“Why so far away?, come on sit here next to me.”

Joe had no choice but to sit where she wanted him to, but in that moment he saw two beautiful eyes that were staring at them from the other side of the room, they were Stella’s and they looked kinda confused.

Joe in that moment stayed completely still, Dianna kept talking, and talking, and talking, and Joe just was there like a statue, but with the time he started to forget about her and had fun with Dianna.

Stella just saw them laugh and talk for about 2 hours, they forgot about everyone else and just care of what they were doing, they were so in sync that they almost didn’t notice that their hands started to reach with each other on the table, maybe they didn’t notice but apparently the spectator did.

 

* * *

 

 

14 …But Can You See Me??

 

Stella couldn’t take it anymore, so she left the place as fast as she could, and got to her cottage in less than 3 minutes, she didn’t know why but she was so mad about seeing Joe with her. 

 

*~*

 

“I can’t believe Joe is with that girl,” Nick said looking how Stella walked away.

“Yeah I know, she’s annoying,” Kevin said.

“Look at them, they only know each other for, what 5 hours? and they’re already holding hands, our brother is completely wrong.” Nick said pissed off.

“I know, I think it’s time to talk to him.”

“No, I disagree, we should let him take his own decisions, he’ll find out sooner or later, that what he’s doing is not right.”

“But what would happens if he really falls for her?” Kevin said concerned.

“He would have to fix it by himself.” Nick said madly.

“Why are you being so rude with him? He’s our brother!”

“I know that Kevin! And he’ll always be, but, I think doing that to Stella is completely wrong.”

“But Stella and Joe are just friends, and I think Stella doesn’t have other feelings for him, he needs to move on.”

“How can you be so sure Stella’s not in love with him?” Nick started to raise his voice.

“I don’t know if she’s really in love with him!, I’m just saying Joe has all the right to go out with whoever he wants!” Kevin got mad too.

“Yes, but why is he always like that? Why did he give Stella illusions and then go out with another one?”

“Nick, Joe has never done that! Don’t say such bad things about your own brother!” Kevin started yelling at Nick.

“But he’s doing it right now Kevin! He knew Stella was seeing them, and he didn’t care and yet he held her hand! I don’t know what’s in Joseph’s head, how dare he to do that!” Nick was really pissed off.

“So that means he can’t go out with anyone if Stella is watching them?” Kevin asked his brother imposing.

“He shouldn’t go out with anyone at all,” Nick said.

“Why are you suddenly turning your back on him? unless you know something I ignore,” Kevin suspected Nick was hiding something.

“Do you mean that I’m concealing something?” Nick asked slightly offended.

“In fact, yes. That’s exactly what I mean.”

“Why don’t you better go and teach someone how to play guitar or do something non-sense with your life and stop asking me these stupid of questions?”

“Nick you know something that I don’t! What is it?”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” Nick said nervous.

“Ok!, I’m not staying here to watch you play fool so I’m gonna go do some _non-sense_ just like you said, let me know when you are ready to tell me what’s really going on,” Kevin left.

Kevin isn’t the kind of guy who gets mad and yells for everything, but that day his brother really made his darker side come out. Nick only stayed there for 10 more minutes and then went for a walk. This time he really made a mistake.

 

*~*

 

“Stella?” Said Macy. Nobody answered.

“Stella!” She screamed again. “Are you crying?” Macy said at the moment she saw Stella laying in her bed with her eyes full of tears.

“No” She answered.

“Stella, I know you’re crying,” Macy said.

“Ok ok, it’s just that I feel a little low right now.”

“Oh! My God! Do you took your medicine?” Macy said worried.

“Yes, I took it like 5 minutes ago, I guess that’s why I’m feeling bad,” Stella said wiping away her tears.

“I guess, but we have to make you feel better, let’s go to the cafeteria to get you some ice cream,” Macy said trying to cheer her up.

“I don’t wanna go to the cafeteria right now, let’s stay here.” Stella said quickly.

“You’ll feel better if you walk. Trust me, I promise you being in the cafeteria will make you forget about your disease.” Macy said kindly.

“Yes, I know that.” Stella mumbled so quietly than nobody could hear it.

They arrived at the cafeteria and Joe and Dianna were still there. Stella saw them all the evening, how they laughed, how they looked at each other’s eyes, and how they 2 were craving to kiss the other one, fortunately they didn’t, but for Stella was the same if Joe wanted to kiss her or actually kiss her, for Stella it was enough to know it was her time to walk away.

 


	3. Losing Your Mind

_Chapter 3: Losing Your Mind_

 

15 Fly Away From Here

 

Stella just waited for everyone to go to sleep, to do the thing she thought about doing all afternoon.

She started to get out all of her suitcases and packing all of her clothes in her cottage.

She only went to that camp because Joe was going to be so upset and disappointed if she stayed at home, but now that Joe didn’t need her anymore, she was ready to go back home.

Stella took all of her stuff and called a cab to pick her up, she stood in the rain for 5 minutes waiting for the taxi to show up, when she found two silhouettes walking towards her.

“Stella what are you doing here?” One of them asked.

“Were you trying to leave?” Asked the other one.

“I wasn’t trying to leave, I’m leaving.” She answered.

“But you can’t go.” In the middle of the dark she was able to see, for a moment, those beautiful green eyes that were staring at her worried.

“Yes, Kevin I can go whenever I want,” She said convinced.

“But the question here is: why?” Said the other silhouette who was trying to figure out why was she leaving.

“Marianna I understand you are confused because you don’t know me well, but I really don’t have a reason to stay here.”

“But I _do_ know you, and I don’t think is a good idea to go now.” Kevin argued.

“Kevin you don’t understand, I don’t wanna be here anymore!”

“This is because of the curly haired guy, right?” Marianna asked.

“Who? Nick?” Kevin asked Marianna trying to figure out of who she was talking about.

“No, I’m talking about your other brother, Joe? yes, Joe.” She said trying to guess Joe’s name.

“No, I’m not leaving because of him.” She lied nervous.

“Stella do you know why Nick is so upset with Joe right now?” Kevin asked remembering about the fight he had with his brother that day.

“No I don’t know why would anyone could ever be upset with Joe, he hasn’t done anything wrong, he’s so nice and everybody loves him! Especially that girl Dianna, they seem so in love, don’t they look so good together?” She answered grumpily.

“Ok I was just asking.” Kevin regretted of asking.

“Funny you mention him.” Marianna said as Nick was walking toward them.

“What’s going on here?” He said.

“Stella is leaving.” Kevin said.

“What?” He said madly, but he didn’t seem confused.

“I’m leaving Nick,” Stella said.

“Is it because…” Nick grabbed Stella by the arm and pulled her till they couldn’t hear. “…it is because of my stupid brother, right?”

“Nick don’t call your brother like that.” Stella yelled. “He’s not stupid.”

“Then why are you leaving? I don’t think it’s because he treats you like a queen.” Nick said with wrath.

“Nick, he hasn’t done anything bad to me.” Stella said defending him.

“why are you defending him after the way he treated you?” Nick said raising his voice.

“I don’t know maybe I’m stupid like him.” She said mad.

Nick remembered the situation with his brother a few hours before, and decided he didn’t want another fight. “I’m sorry, ok? I didn’t mean he was stupid, he just makes me mad.” Nick apologized.

“It’s ok, but I really need to leave,” She said as she was walking to the bus stop so she could sit. Kevin and Marianna went to where Nick was and asked about what she said.

“She said she really needs to leave.” Nick said sad.

“So that means there’s nothing that we 3 can do.” Kevin said disappointed.

“Maybe _we_ can’t make her stay, but I know who can, surprisingly, talk some sense into her.” Nick said as he was running away.

 

* * *

 

 

16 Listen To Your Heart

 

Nick ran to the cabin of the only person who could stop this, Joe.

“Joe!” Nick screamed. Joe was sleeping. “Joe!” He screamed as he was trying to wake up his brother.

“What do you want?” He answered tired and half asleep.

“We have a problem!”

“Couldn’t you wait until tomorrow?”

“Joe!, Stella is leaving.” Once this was said Joe immediately jumped out of his bed and walked to the door.

As they were running to stop Stella they kept quiet, Joe was busy trying to fix the puzzle in his head.

“Why is he here?” Kevin said when he saw Joe coming.

“He’s here to stop her.” Nick answered.

“Stella, What are you doing?” Joe said a little bit mad.

“I’m, I was,” Stella didn’t expect to see Joe there.

“You were trying to leave, right?” Joe said calm and slowly.

“Yes.” Stella said ashamed.

“Why?” Joe asked in a serious way. 

“Because, I don’t wanna be here.” Stella said.

“And why is that?” Joe asked again.

“Nobody needs me here anymore,” She answered.

“Stella, you know that’s not true, I need you here. If I didn’t then I wouldn’t have asked you to come?” Joe was beginning to frustrate.

“That’s right but,”

“But nothing! You’re staying here, and that’s the end of it.” Joe made her stay whether she liked it or not.

“Ok, I’ll stay, but I don’t want to.” She gave up.

“Good, now let’s go to my cabin.” Joe said kindly.

They walked to his cottage but the other 3 returned to what they were doing.

Kevin taught Marianna how to play guitar, and Nick went back to sleep, in fact, it is a mystery why he got there, well, we know Kevin and Marianna were walking to Kevin’s cabin, but why Nick got to where they where is still to be figured out.

They arrived to Joe’s cottage in 5 minutes and Stella sat down.

“I have something for you.” Joe said hiding something behind his back.

“What is it?” Stella asked excited. Joe gave her the headphones/stethoscopes and Stella just stared at them, Joe followed his brother’s advice.

“What’s this?” She asked confused.

“They are your stethoscopes, I made them sound in both sides.” Joe said seriously.

“Joe! This is so cool!”

“It was nothing.” He said as if 4 hour of continuous work were if fact _nothing_.

Stella put one of the headphones set on Joe’s ears and the other one on hers, Joe was kinda confused but he felt happy, they stayed hearing to each other’s heart for 2 hours, until Stella fell asleep. Joe didn’t want to wake her up so he just laid her on his bed and he walked out of his cottage, he arrived to Kevin’s room and sleep on the sofa without being caught by his brother.

 

* * *

 

 

17 Family Bonding

 

Kevin woke up at 4 am to drink water and he found his brother sleeping on his couch.

“Joe! What are you doing here?” Kevin asked tired and shaking Joe’s arm so he would wake up.

“I’m sleeping.”

“I can see that, but why?”

“Because Stella is in my cabin.” Joe answered half sleep.

“And what is she doing in your cottage?” Kevin asked curious.

“She fell asleep there, that’s it,” Joe said.

“Ok? There’s nothing weird there,” Kevin said sarcastically.

“There’s nothing to be worried about, she just fell asleep and I didn’t want her to wake up so I came to sleep here.” Joe explained.

“Ok right, whatever.” Kevin went back to sleep.

At 6 am Kevin woke up again and Joe was not there this time. He went to the cafeteria to have breakfast and everyone was there except for Joe, they were eating pancakes.

“Hey guys! How are you doing?” Kevin asked cheery.

“Cool!” Everybody answered in sync.

“Have you seen Joe?” Macy asked Kevin looking worried.

“No, I haven’t seen him since last night,” Kevin said.

“We don’t know where he is.” Dianna said.

“But Stella don’t you know where he is?” Kevin asked her ignoring Dianna’s comment.

“I don’t know!” She said angry.

“I think I know,” Marianna said confused.

“Where?” Nick asked quickly.

“He’s walking towards here,” Marianna said.

“Joe!” Dianna screamed. He didn’t answer.

Joe seemed tired and confused; he had a lot of things to think about before he could speak to any of them.

“Well I think you have nothing to say.” Macy said trying to end with the silence.

“So, Kevin, I need to talk to you,” Nick asked his brother after giving him a glance.

“Of course little brother, come here.” Kevin said walking away so they could be alone. Nick stood up from the table and walked to his brother, he seemed sorry. 

“Kevin,” Nick said depressed.

“Don’t even say it, I know you are sorry, and don’t worry I forgive you,” Kevin said nice and slow.

“How did you know what I was gonna say?” Nick asked.

“Nick, I’m your oldest brother, I know you since you were born, and I know sometimes you can be so intense but you don’t mean to.” Kevin explained.

“Wow! Well thank you for understanding me, and I’m really sorry.” Nick said.

“I know brother, I know.” Kevin said as they were walking back to the cafeteria.

They got back to the cafeteria and felt a tension in the place, so strong, they notice something was wrong.

 

* * *

 

 

18 Revenge 

 

“Everything ok?” Nick asked noticing the tension.

“Yeah! Everything’s ok! In fact Joe and I were gonna go swimming in the lake right now! “ Dianna said bragging.

“Dianna I need to tell you something.” Joe said finally ending with his vote of silence.

“So finally you’re going to ask me out,” She said.

“Actually, I’m afraid not,” He said.

“But is it important?” She asked confused.

“Yeah, really important.”

“But why don’t you say it here? In front of everyone.” She said challenging him.

“I don’t think that’s a great idea,” He said knowing it would cause a problem.

“Don’t worry I’ll be fine sweetie.” She said trying to commit him.

“I don’t want to talk to you in front of them and please don’t call me sweetie,” With _them_ he meant Stella.

“I said: say it,” She said imposing.

“I’m sorry I can’t do it,” He walked away furious.

“Nobody leaves me talking alone!” She stood up from the table and followed him.

“I think I should go and make sure she doesn’t kill him.” Kevin said quickly trying to go with them.

“Don’t! Leave them alone, Joe needs some privacy,” Nick said pulling him to the table again.

“But someone has to do something,” Kevin said sitting down. Everyone kept staring at Stella so she could go to try to make things better.

“I’m not going if that’s what you all mean,” She said visibly upset.

“But we are worried. What if she hurts him because of her rage, trust me I know how temperamental she is.” Marianna said trying to convince her.

“Ok ok fine! I’ll go but I don’t like the idea,” She said standing up. “And I don’t even know where they are.”

“I believe they went in that direction,” Sean said pointing to the right.

“Ok thank you, I’ll find them.” Stella said tired.

 

*~*

 

“Don’t you dare to leave me like that again! Did you hear?” Dianna yelled at Joe.

“Why are you following me? If I walked away was because I didn’t want to be with you anymore.” Joe yelled back.

“And why don’t you tell me where all this came from?” She said trying to make him speak.

“ _All this_ what?”

“I mean why do you suddenly not want to be with me anymore?I thought you loved me.”

“Love you? I’ve known you for one week, it’s impossible to actually love someone in that period of time.”

“So why did you say you liked me?”

“It’s different.”

“Not for me!”

“I don’t care what you think so just leave me alone!”

“So that’s your plan right? Making a girl fall in love with you and then walking away? I thought you were different from the other guys but now I see I was wrong about you,” These last words hurt Joe’s pride, so he finally decided to fight back with the truth.

“That’s not my plan ok? I don’t have any plan. The only reason I said that to you is because I like you. And I don’t know if I’d be able to get to love you like you want me to, because I know myself, I know what kind of guy I am; so I decided it was better to make you hate me now before you set your hopes too high and I end up breaking your heart!” He said strangely furious.

“But why would you break my heart?” She said calmer.

“Because I’m not the kind of guy you want; me liking you is just a trick my mind is playing to me, and I don’t wanna like you, but I don’t know why I still do.” He said slightly sad.

“But you aren’t sure if you are not the guy I want, I think you’ll just have to prove it, so we both could go back to our lives.” She said getting closer to him.

“But the thing here is that I don’t wanna know if I’m the one or not, I believe I’m coward and I prefer to leave it as a mystery.” Joe said.

“So you prefer doubt the next years what could have been than just taking a chance? Well in that case you really are a coward, now I understand why Stella told me you and your _kind style_ weren’t good enough for her.” She said tricking him.

Those words echoed in Joe’s head, and felt like a hundred of knifes stabbing his chest, he was so confused and pissed off. He had just told Dianna to stay away because of her, and now he finds out she’s that cruel, he couldn’t believe it, he had to do something about it.

In that exact moment Stella found them standing in the middle of the woods, he saw her and with all the rage he felt he wanted to kill her, but he decided to do something he knew would hurt her more to prove her he could be that bad guy too.

He grabbed Dianna as he was staring at Stella and with a smile on his face kissed the brunet in front of her.

 

* * *

 

 

19 U R Fired

Joe’s notes:

 

_“What’s going on here?” Those were the words Stella screamed at the moment she saw us kissing, I answered laughing. “I’m being that bad boy you said I couldn’t be,” She looked so confused and said. “What are you talking about?” And I said ignoring Dianna. “I’m talking about what you said about me,” She seemed so confused and I tried to remind her she said I wasn’t good enough for her, she told me she had never said that kind of things, but I didn’t believe her; I don’t think Dianna could make up such a horrible thing, so this has to be true, I bet Stella was just trying to keep her job, that’s why she wasn’t gonna admit she said that, but I didn’t believe in her lies and I was so tiredthat I fired her, I won’t let her be my stylish again, and I said “I fire you from our friendship too, don’t even speak to me ok?” She just stayed quiet, she didn’t know what to do so I gave her a last chance to tell the truth and get back her job, but she refused to say she said that about me, so I told her that I wasn’t the coward one, it was her. She was so confused, Dianna told her she got what she deserved and in a moment Stella was hitting her, I stopped her I wasn’t gonna let her hit Dianna, she just made me realize what kind of person was her, so after that I went to the nursery with Dianna, and she told me she was so ashamed about what happened, she felt guilty, she’s awesome, I took the right decision._

 

Stella’s notes:

 

_I can’t believe Joe didn’t believe me, well, I Can believe it, he is caught in Dianna’s trap, but after 15 years of friendship I thought he would trust me, but apparently his crush on Dianna is stronger than anything. When I tried to explain him that I would never say that kind of things about him he just started to blame me to for stupid things, and he told me I couldn’t protest because I dated Van Dyke and I had to let him do his life, I didn’t understand what he meant but I guess for now I’ll just leave it like that, even though he fired me he’s only firing me of our friendship b/c Kevin & Nick are not gonna let Joe fire me as their stylist so I don’t care, I only need Macy, Kevin and Nick as friends, I don’t need him._

 

* * *

 

 

20 7 Words

 

Stella went to sit on the grass, and in just one minute Nick and Kevin were sitting next to her asking what happened.

“So did you find Joe?” Kevin asked curious.

“Yes, of course I found him,” Stella said kinda upset.

“And what happened?” Nick asked. “Did Dianna killed him?” He continued.

“In fact when I found them, she was very far from killing him,” Stella answered as the two brothers stared at her confused. “Did Joe do something wrong?” Kevin asked again.

“Well, he just fired me,” Stella said sarcastically.

“What?” Both of them screamed at the same time. “He fired you?” Kevin said still don’t knowing what was going on.

“Yes he fired me right after he kissed Dianna and screamed at me that I couldn’t talk to him anymore.” She said.

“He kissed Dianna?” Nick and Kevin asked together again.

“Yes he kissed her right in front of me, with a smile on his face.” Stella said furious.

“With a smile on his face?” Kevin asked again.

“I think you already understand that,” Stella said annoyed. She was definitely not in the mood for jokes.

“Yeah I was just caught by the moment.” Kevin apologized.

“But what happened exactly? What did he say?” Kevin asked clearly angry.

“He kissed her, and then he told me _I’m being a bad boy as you said I couldn’t be_.” Stella imitated Joe’s voice “And I told him I had no idea of what he was talking about so his little friend told me I got what I deserved so he fired me and asked me to stay away.” Stella said less mad than disappointed.

“I can’t believe Joe said that!” Kevin was so low.

“Well, you better believe it because that’s what he said.”

 “Where is he?” Nick, who stilled quiet until that moment, said pissed off as he was standing up.

“What!” Stella asked.

“Where is he!” He screamed this time, they stayed quiet.

“Ok, I don’t care I will find him on my own!” Nick said running away.

“But Nick where are you going?” Kevin said trying to follow him.

 

Kevin notes:

_I stood up & went after Nick, he’s my brother, I knew what he was going to do, & that was a mistake. I knew he’d go and challengehim till they end up fighting, they are brothers, they are supposed to fight but not to kill each other. So I followed him as fast as I could, and finally reached him, he struggled trying to run away but I finally made him sit down, “Why are you doing this?” I asked him but he didn’t answered, I asked the same thing over and over again, I tried with different words like: “What were you trying to do?” Or, “Why are you so weird these days?” But he didn’t answer, I didn’t wanna fight with him again for the same thing, but this time he really needed an intervention, so I said completely loud. “What is that something that I don’t know?” It looks like those words were the key to open Nick’s mouth and make him talk, because this time he really answered, I guess I just needed to tell the right words to get into his mind, he told me everything I wanted to know with a laconic sentence: “Stella had an attack two days ago.”_

 

* * *

 

21 The Reason?

“What?” Kevin asked shocked.

“What you heard.” Nick answered looking worried.

“Why?” Kevin asked again.

“Nobody knows, but if something puts her in a several stress status she could have another one.” Nick continued.

“That’s why you were so protective with her,” Kevin finally understood.

“Yep, that’s the reason.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

“Because she doesn’t want Joe to know, and when I fought with you I decided to leave it like that.”

“So Stella could have another attack?” Kevin seemed pretty worried too.

“Yes, and that time could be worse.”

“That’s horrible!”

“I know but don’t tell Joe please.”

“Don’t worry I won’t.”

“He’s crazy.”

“I know Nick but let’s not talk about Joseph now please.”

“Joseph? You never call him _Joseph?”_

“Now I do,” He seemed convinced.

“Ok, and what’s up with Marianna?” Nick told him with a wicked smile on his face.

“What do you mean?” Kevin answered nervous.

“You like her.”

“Why do you ask me that?” Kevin started to blush.

“I’m not asking, it’s a fact.” Nick said laughing.

“But how do you know?” Kevin just was drowning himself out more and more.

“It’s pretty obvious, plus you haven’t been that happy since the crazy mime French girl broke up with you.”

“You’re right, she was totally crazy.” Kevin laughed too.

“Yes, and she smelled funny.”

“That’s right.”

 

*~*

 

“So he fired you?” Macy was shocked too.

“Yes, because of Dianna.”

“He’s a,” Stella interrupted her saying. “Let’s forget about him please, I want him out of my life.” She said decided.

“But Stella you have a crush on him.”

“I know that Macy but right now I’m not in the mood to hear apologizes.”

“Do you think he’s gonna apologize?”

“I don’t know Macy, but I don’t wanna hear him anyway so it doesn’t matter.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Because of someone named Dianna.”

“Do you really think she set up all of this?”

“I know it but whatever, nobody made him yell at me, so I guess this time is really over.”

 

* * *

 

 

22 Dare You

 

“Are you saying I’m a boyfriend stealer?” Dianna yelled at Jenna.

“No, in fact I’m saying you are a Bi#%?#!” Jenna yelled back.

“How dare you!” Dianna seemed shocked.

“That’s what you are!” Jenna said slapping her.

“What’s going on here?” Screamed a green eyes boy who had just arrived to the scene.

“Jenna is trying to kill her, isn’t it obvious?” Answered Marianna as she was trying to stop Jenna.

“I can see that but why?” Kevin said holding Dianna so she couldn’t hit Jenna.

“She hates her.” Marianna continued as the other two were yelling to each other trying to escape.

“But why it started?”

“Because of what happened with Stella.”

“But what does it have to do with her?”

“She doesn’t want Stella to get hurt like her.”

“Like her?” Jenna and Dianna were still fighting to run away.

“Yes, when we were little Dianna stole Jenna’s boyfriend, and tried to steal mine.”

“That’s horrible! Wait, you had a boyfriend?” Kevin started to look jealous.

“Yes but that’s not the point here.”

“Yeah right I know.”

“Stop fighting!” A boy screamed and everybody stayed still, even Dianna and Jenna, everybody stared at him looking confused, it was Nick with an odious attitude.

“what the H…k is going on here?” He asked authoritarian, and all of them stayed completely quiet. “Couldn’t you act more immature?”

“But we were just…?” Kevin tried to explain but his brother interrupt him.

“I’m not talking about you!” He was so mad. “I’m talking about the little babies that are fighting for someone else’s problem.” Nick hated people who act like little kids fighting for a new toy. “Are you crazy? Marianna, Kevin, let them go and thanks, you can go now.” They 2 seemed so confused but with Nick’s face they decided it was better to go now before he starts to yell at them too.

“I don’t want to see you fighting again ok?”

“And who do you think you are to tell me what I can or can’t do?” Dianna argued. “You can’t control me.”

“I’m not trying to control you; I’m just saying that if I see you fighting again you will be on the first bus to your home.”

“You can’t kick me out of the camp.” She said stepping up and challenging him.

“Oh! Yeah! Well maybe you’ll have to try me.” He said competing with her.

“Well maybe I’ll do.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“I’ll be ready.”

“I’m not afraid.”

“And I’m not scared.”

“You know you are.” He said as he was walking away after giving her a _pray_ look.

 


	4. Losing Words

_Chapter 4: Losing Words_

 

23 U Got It Wrong

 

“So what do you think Nick is going to tell them?” Marianna asked as they were walking to her cabin.

“He would probably asked them to behave.” Kevin said knowing his brother is bossy.

“Your brother’s a little bit weird.”

“Yeah I know he’s such a stud muffin.”

“I thought I heard Joe say that.” She said laughing.

“Yeah, but just for once I wanted to say that.” Kevin replied.

“Ok that has nothing to do about what I’m talking about, but its ok.”

“What did you mean?” Kevin said serious this time.

“I mean it’s like the time Stella was leaving that he just appeared out of thin air in the middle of the woods at midnight, he’s weird.”

“I know, nobody knows why he was there that time.” Kevin said curious. “What was he doing there?”

“It’s a mystery,” She said joking.

“And about your boyfriend, how is he?” Kevin asked this time slightly sad.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” She answered.

“But you said.”

“I said I Had one.” She interrupted him.

“Oh! so for now you don’t have a boyfriend?” Kevin asked excited.

“No, I’m single.”

“That’s so cool!” There was an awkward silence until he tried to fix it. “For you, I mean you can find a better one!” He said the first thing he could think about.

“Yeah! I know.”

They walked until they got to Marianna’s cottage and spent the afternoon playing guitar or I should say in “guitar lessons”, then Kevin returned to his own cabin and found Macy there.

Nick walked down toward his cabin, he was really mad, if he could change colors he would had been red, in the way he found Stella, but he decided to ignore her as he didn’t want to yell at her; Marianna isn’t right, he’s not weird, if I could describe him with just one word it would be: _close-mouthed_ because I don’t think what he does means he’s just weird or likes doing weird things, all he does has a reason and my job is to clear things up for you as I’m telling this story.

He got to his cottage with the same mood as before, he wanted to hit someone and for his bad luck Joe happened to enter to his room.

“What’s wrong with you?” Joe yelled as he saw his brother standing.

“I’m sorry what?” Nick said ironically.

“Who do you think you are to yell at Dianna?” He said furious.

“And who do you think you are? Her lawyer?” He was not going to let him get away with it.

“She’s mine ok? So I can defend her whenever I want, and I won’t let you talk to her like that!” He was really frustrated.

“And I won’t let you talk to me like that for something I didn’t do to you and I didn’t even do to your little girlfriend either.” Nick, otherwise was calm even though he was craving to hit him, he stopped himself so he wouldn’t become the _bad one_ in this story.

“Why aren’t you brave enough to accept your own mistakes?” Joe was still yelling at him.

“I’m brave enough, but the thing here is that I have nothing to accept,” Nick said as he was sitting on his bed.

“How can you be so cynical? You know you yelled at her, she told me that!” Joe was so obstinate.

“Joe, she’s been lying to you this whole time, you know that, don’t you?” Nick was trying to make him realize believing her was a total and huge mistake.

“She would never lie to me, She loves me. She wouldn’t hide anything from me.” Joe stacked to his statement.

“Dude, there’s a lot of things you don’t know about her.” He tried to help him without telling anything but it was impossible, he needed the whole truth to understand it so Nick had no choice, he’ll have to spill it out

“Joe I got to tell you something.”

 

*~*

 

“Hi Macy! What are you doing here?” Kevin asked surprised.

“Hi! I just wanted to show you something.” Macy answered.

“Ok but first, guess what!” Kevin was excited.

“What?”

“I think it’s finally getting better this romance thing!”

“So Marianna doesn’t have a boyfriend?”

“No, she doesn’t, that means I have an opportunity.”

“Wow Kevin that’s really great.” She seemed excited too. “You are going to have a new girlfriend.”

“Yeah I know, I haven’t been this excited since Anya came back from Scandinavia, I’m glad our relationship didn’t worked out, because now I’m single and I have an opportunity with the girl of my dreams.”

“I’m going to help you, I mean Marianna is my friend, maybe I could tell her all the good things you are.”

“That would be great, But please don’t tell her about the bad things.”

“You don’t have bad things Kevin of _JONAS_!” Even though Macy was in love with the 3 Lucas brothers now that she was their friend she decided it was better to stick with a friendship.

“Thanks, Macy so what was that important thing you wanted to show me.”

“Oh yeah! I found this near Dianna’s cottage.” She said as she was showing him a bracelet.

“Wow, it’s a very beautiful bracelet, but I can’t get it.” He said as Macy’s alarm was ringing.

“Oh I have to go check if Stella took her medicine, you know I love her and she’s a little bit distracted so I help her to remember.” She said as she was standing up.

“But please tell me what does this bracelet mean?” Kevin said curious.

“Keep it, study it and you’ll figure it out, just look in the place where you’d never look for.” She said running away.

That night Kevin stared at the bracelet for two hours and all he could see was a silver bracelet with Dianna’s name on it, those _look in the place where you’ll never look for_ words were spinning around his head, so he decided to look in the part where you clasp it up and he found something you’ll never imagine: Nick’s name.

 

24 Conspiracy Theory

 

Kevin was shocked, he tried to understand what was going on but it all was so confusing, he decided to get some help, he called Marianna and Macy to help him figure out what was going on.

“I can’t stand it. Why does it have Nick’s name in it.” Kevin said sounding really confused.

“I don’t know, that’s why I gave it to you, so you could help me.” Macy answered.

“Ok, let’s think about it since the beginning, why would a girl’s bracelet could has another name in it?” Marianna said.

“Maybe it’s because she likes him!” Macy said.

“I don’t think so,” Kevin said as he was trying to figure it out.

“Or maybe it’s because he wants us to think that.” Mariana said thinking.

“He? To think what?” Kevin was more confused than before.

“Maybe he wants us to think she has a crush on him!” Marianna answered.

“Who wants us to think that?” Macy replied.

“What I mean, is that, maybe Nick wants us all to think she has a secret crush on him so we go and tell Joe, then Joe is going to break up with her, and stop breaking Stella’s heart.” Marianna explained. 

“So, you are saying Nick planned all of this so Joe could go back being friends with Stella?” Macy asked.

“Exactly,” She answered.

“It could be true, it sounds like something Nick would do, plus there’s no other reason why his name could be on that bracelet,” Kevin was convinced.

“Yes it all fits.” Marianna said proud of knowing what was going on.

“But don´t you think it’s weird that we know what Nick is planning? I mean he’s very clever in that stuff.” Macy said.

“Yeah! you are right, maybe we should stop asking ourselves questions and believe we are right,” Kevin said.

 

*~*

 

“Joe I got to tell you something,” Nick was prepared to spill it out.

“But how can you know her better than me? I mean she’s my girlfriend and she’s nothing yours.” Joe was more angry than before, as he didn’t let Nick to even start when he had already interrupt him.

“Bro! I’m trying to tell you something here!” Nick finally let out his anger”

“I don’t care what you gotta say! You can’t tell me something I don’t know about her.”

“How can you be so sure?” Nick asked challenging him

 

 

25 Tell Me Something I Don’t Know

“Ok, if you are so sure you know everything about her then, go ahead and tell me something I don’t know about her!” Joe was frustrated.

“Ok, if you want to I’ll tell you, did you know that she brushes her teeth 4 times a day? Or that she’s been afraid of tigers since she was 5? Or that she has a collection of butterflies in her room? Or that she is two-time champion on swimming? Or that she died her hair blue, green and purple cause those were her dead mom’s favorite colors?” Joe started to look amazed; he was so shocked he couldn’t even speak. “Or that she likes fishes? Or that she practice Tai Chi? Or that her favorite vegetable is cucumber cause she thinks its name is funny? Or that she likes photographs? Or that she tried to kill herself when she was 12? Or that it takes exactly 17 seconds of tickles to make her laugh? Or that she…”

“Enough! How do I know you’re not making that up?” Joe stopped him; he couldn’t believe it.

“Joe I’m not making that up. She’s mean trust me.” Nick yelled.

“Mean? I can’t believe you say that.” Joe said.

“Ok if you don’t want to believe me go ahead and ask her if all of this is true and later on you come back here and tell me what she said ok?” Nick was calm again.

“Ok, I’ll do that and then I’ll come back and tell you.” Joe said as he slammed the door.

 

Nick stayed in his cabin for 1 hour till Joe came back; he opened the door and the only thing he could say was:

“Who are you?” Joe screamed getting into the room.

“what do you mean? I’m your brother Nick,” Nick answered ironically.

“I know that,What I mean is, who are you?” Joe was frustrated.

“I’m your bro…” before he could say something Joe said. “Please don’t say you’re my brother. Cause I already know that.”

“Ok ok, then what do you mean with _who are you_?” Nick tried to understand.

“Why do you know everything about her?” Joe was confused.

“That means I was right,” Nick enjoyed being right.

“But why?” Joe was desperate.

“It doesn’t matter, the point here is that I was right and she’s mean.” Nick said avoiding it.

“I’m not saying she’s mean, I’m saying that you know everything about her!”

“I told you so now that you know you can go to your cottage and think about if I’m right on saying she’s mean, I mean why she didn’t tell you, her mom was dead, or that she tried to kill herself? For me that means she doesn’t trust you, but that’s just me,” He said planting a seed in Joe’s mind, Nick told Joe to go, so he finally did, he went to have some rest as his brother said.

Nick wanted him to realize by his own, so he left him curious; he couldn’t tell him what was going on so it was the only way.

 

*~*

 

“Ok I guess we should leave it like that, but now I have to go, I’m gonna have a shower ok?” Kevin said as he was walking away.

“So are you two a couple?” Macy asked.

“What? Why?” Marianna didn’t expect that question.

“I mean you two seem to have chemistry,” Macy said honestly.

“I don’t really know.” She answered confused.

“Why? Are you insecure?” Macy looked worried.

“Well yes, I mean I like him but he once told me something that reminds me of my ex, and we didn’t end up well.” She said sad.

“But Kevin is a good guy, he wouldn’t hurt you, plus he’s so sweet any girl would be lucky to have him.” Macy tried to cheer her up. “And what’s that he said that bothers you so much?” She now seemed curios.

“Well he didn’t say it, he wrote it, on the paper thing the other day.”

“Oh, I get it now, but what was it?”

“Well the paper said...” Marianna said.

 

26 Quiet

 

“The paper said,” She hesitate. “It said: _You are not like the other girls.”_

“But that’s the thing that bothers you? That sentence? Makes no sense.” Macy couldn’t stand it.

“The thing is that mi ex-boyfriend used to tell me that every day, and I’m afraid he will do the same thing as him.”

“But don’t worry, he’s not like that.” Macy calmed her.

“Do you promise me he won’t do the same?” She asked.

“I promise you,” Macy said.

 

*~*

 

 

Nick was worried, he regret about telling Joe all of that, he knew his brother, now Joe was going to search for an answer and he wouldn’t stop till find it, he started something and now he had to deal with the consequences, he stayed on his cottage, he wanted to run away, but that was impossible, he had to stay there, even though he didn’t want to, all he could do was wait, wait till Joe came along to ask him why, so he did.

 

*~*

 

Joe was laid on the floor thinking about what his brother had just said, his mind was completely tangled, he just think about why she didn’t tell him, and why Nick knows her that much, it was so quiet he could hear his own thoughts out loud, his head spun around a hundred of times, he wanted to scream, he had to know the reason of everything, when he was laying on the floor a brilliant idea crossed his mind, maybe Kevin knew something about it, and maybe he could tell him what’s going on as his brother Nick was _mouth-shuted_.

 

He ran to Kevin’s cabin, there were Marianna and Macy too, Joe seemed quite desperate so Kevin asked him what was going on, he told him everything Nick told him, and everybody was confused, they stayed 1 hour trying to figure out what was going on, The theory they came up with, didn’t fit, because now they knew Nick knows everything about her, and that has nothing to do with a _Conspiracy Theory_ so they kept thinking, until they came up with the idea of asking him.

Their plan was: Joe was going to ask him and everybody else will stay outside listening, they decided not to tell Stella of this episode cause it will make her mad, so they’d stay quiet.

 

Joe went into Nick’s room and screaming he asked. ”Why do you know her?” Nick didn’t answer, the thing he feared it would happen, actually happened, he had nothing to do but saying the truth, Joe was starting to get tired of his secrets and asked him again, it was the time for Nick to spill it out, he took a deep breath and said.

“Joe, the reason that I know everything about her is…” He hesitated, his heart beat fast and his hands were frozen up , he didn’t want to tell it because he knew it would cause some drama, but there was no way out, he’ll have to do it. “Is, I was once his boyfriend.”

27 Remember December

“Is, I was once his boyfriend.” Nick said afraid of what’d happen next.

“W-w-w-what!” Joe stuttered, he didn’t expect to hear that, he was thinking he’ll get an: _I like her_ or even something crazy like _she’s a robot_ or something, but never she’s his ex.

“What! Why!” Joe screamed. 

“It’s true, I date her for 2 months.” Nick said ashamed.

“How?” Joe couldn’t say more than one word.

“If you mean how you didn’t know? Then I’d have to tell you I kept it secret.” Nick said.

“I can imagine that, but Why?” Joe didn’t understand.

“Because I didn’t want you to know.” Nick explained; but Joe kept staring at him like if he was about to kill him, so Nick continued. “Because it was so painful.” Nick’s shame face quickly turned into a frown.

“Painful? Painful is that your brother says to you he once dated your girlfriend and he’s been hiding it since the beginning! That IS painful!” Joe screamed at him.

“Bro, I’m…” Nick tried to fix things up but Joe stopped him saying.

”Don’t talk to me ok!? I don’t want you to talk to me ever again, I’m done!” Joe said slamming the door again; Joe went out Nick’s cottage, and everyone tried to talk with him but they only made him yell at them, he kept walking till he got to his cabin.

Nick laid on the floor, remembering all, how he met her, how they become a couple, how they spent two beautiful months together, but most of all how they end up. 

 

_*Flashback:*_

“I can’t believe you did that to me.” Nick said at her sitting on the bed.

“I didn’t do anything, I promise!” She begged him to believe her.

“But it’s not the first time we get caught up in this situation.” He said painfully.

“I know, but we could work it out.”

“I’m afraid not, this isn’t right; I thought you were different from the other girls, you were supposed to be there by my side, but you left when I needed you the most.” He said with red eyes.

“But I…”

“I know, _you want me_ , you’ve said that like a thousand times but I just don’t believe it, since I told you I loved you, you’ve been acting weird, and you know that I meant it.” He said at the edge of crying.

“What did you want me to do? If you’re treating me like a child.” She asked.

“I just want to know if it is me you’ll live without? Or would you change your mind?”

“I guess this time we’d be better if we just let each other go.”

“So, this is it?” Nick asked as one tear was falling through his cheek.

“I guess so.”

_*End Flashback*_

Nick stayed laid in the floor crying for two hours.

 

*~*

 

Joe got into her cottage, and Dianna looked kinda confused

“Why didn’t you tell me you were Nick’s girlfriend?” Joe yelled at her.

“What!” She seemed impressed.

“You heard me. Why didn’t you tell me?” Joe asked again.

“Because ok I’ll tell you, he was so important to me, and he well he cheated on me.” Dianna lied.

“What? now you lie to me? You’re incredible.” Joe was tired of secrets and lies.

“I’m telling the truth, he cheated on me and even though he broke up with me because he didn’t want me anymore.” Dianna said crying acting, of course.

“Are you sure you’re telling the truth?” Joe said almost buying it.

“It’s true, I know I was wrong hiding it to you, but I just didn’t want you to hate your brother because of me.” She said.

“Well if he really did that to you how am I not gonna hate him?” Joe said finally buying it for half the price.

Dianna had convinced him about Nick was mean, something that not even Nick could do against her.

“And what are you gonna do now with your brother?” Dianna asked all innocent as Joe was holding her.

“Don’t worry honey, he’s not my brother anymore.”

 

28 Solo

 

Nick was on the floor, everything spun around, he saw a blinding light, he was about to pass out, he just couldn’t take it anymore, so he went out of his cabin. On the way he saw Joe, he had to at least try to make things right, so he decided to talk to him.

“Hey Joe.” Nick yelled at him so he could her him. Joe just stared at him without saying any word, so Nick got to where he was and said. “Hey, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you before, I was dumb but it wasn’t on purpose, I didn’t want you to get hurt.” Nick apologized.

“You knew it would hurt me.” Joe argued.

“Yes, but I…” Nick tried to explain.

“And you did it anyway.” Joe interrupt him.

“I had no other choice.” Nick explained again.

“Yeah, poor Nick.” He said sarcastically.

“Brother, listen.”

“I’m not your brother, and I’m not gonna listen.” Joe screamed tired.

“Of course you are my brother!”

“No, I’m not! Not after what you did to me!”

“I’m sorry!” He said, and Joe just stayed quiet. “Is there anything I could do or say to make you change your mind?” Nick asked.

“No.” He answered.

Nick just stared at him, and he just hugged him while he said. “I love you bro.” And walked away, Joe stayed still, he couldn’t stand his brother, but after what he did he didn’t know if he love him back or not.

 

Nick returned to his cottage and started playing his guitar, he played it till his finger started to bleed, he decided it was time to go on, so he grabbed all of his stuff and walked through the fields and went looking for Kevin, until he found him sitting next to the cafeteria, Kevin frightened when he saw him, Nick looked so devastated, he had his arms cover in blood, his face was red for crying so much, and his clothes were dirty, Kevin seemed pretty worried. 

“What happened to you?” Kevin asked.

“Don’t worry Kevs, I played guitar a lot and my fingers couldn’t stand it.”

“I wasn’t just talking about your fingers, you look...”

“Devastated?” Nick asked, and Kevin just nodded his head.

“I’s because I am.” Nick said.

“But why?”

“Kevin, I didn’t come to worry you, I just came to say goodbye, I’m leaving.”

“What! Why?”

“I can’t be here anymore, but don’t worry about me, bro, I’ll be fine.”

“But where are you going?”

“Anywhere but here it’s right, but can I ask you a favor?”

“Of course Nick.”

“Please tell Dianna to not break our brother’s heart.”

“Ok I’ll tell her, but for how long are you going?”

“I’m leaving for the time it takes to fix me up.”

“Ok, I understand.”

“Goodbye bro, I love you.” He said holding him.

“I love you too, see you.” Kevin answered. Nick walked to his car and he found Stella there.

“Stella!, what are you doing here?”

“I don’t know something told me to come.”

“You know I’m leaving right?”

“Yes.”

“So you finally opened the paper.”

“You told me I could open it when I see you despondent.”

“I know.”

“So, Macy told me you were Dianna’s boyfriend two years ago, does Joe know it?” She said holding a paper that said _If you are reading this, it means the truth has been said, and I’m so broken that I’m running away, so I just wanted to tell you that you and Macy are like sisters to me and I’m gonna miss you so much— Nick._

“Yep, I already told him.”

“What did he said?”

“He told me I’m not his brother anymore.”

“That’s rude.”

“Not if I deserve it.”

“How did you know you were gonna go?”

“I know myself, and I knew I wouldn’t take it, goodbye Stella,” He said hugging her. “And say goodbye to Macy for me, and to anyone else.”

“So this is the best you can do? Curly top?” Asked a brown haired girl.

“What do you want?” Stella asked her.

“I’m not talking to you.”

“Ok, then, what do you want?” Nick asked again.

“I just came to see if this was really true.”

“Do you mean that I’m leaving? well yes it is true, believe it or not for the first time in his life Nick Lucas is giving up, because I realized you’re not worth it, and yes, it’s also true that I fall for you, but you know what? I’ll move on, cause I never thought you could be so mean, I can’t even believe I fell for something like this, and I fell into your trap, you pulled me down, but not anymore, I’m done with your games.”

“Wow, it’s a very rude way to treat a lady, isn’t it?” She asked cynically.

“You’re not a lady, a lady wouldn’t go so low just because she doesn’t feel good enough with ruining one person’s life, she needed to ruin my brother’s and friend’s life too to feel happy.”

“If you keep talking like that, you’ll end up losing me.”

“Losing you? How can you be so cynical? I can’t lose you if I don’t even wanna have you, not after all you did to us, and now I’m proud to admit that I’m done with this, and because of your attitude I could tell that you’re the one who’s still falling for me, too bad you are such a…”

“A what!?, go ahead say it.”

“Not this time, I’m not gonna become like you.”

“But Nick, can’t you see it? You are like me, lying to your brother, hiding your true intentions, we’re one and the same.”

“That’s not true, do you wanna know why? Because I could have lied to everybody, and I could have also used some people’s feelings to my own benefit, but there’s something that I have that you’ll never understand, and that’s feelings, I never do something just to bother anyone else, everything I do has a reason to be, that’s why I’m not so talkative, cause I think everything before speaking, because I don’t wanna ruin someone else’s life,” She just stared at him, apparently everyone enjoyed staying quiet after everything he says, so he just added. “Good luck trying to find me.” He said getting into his car and going forward to the driveway.

 

29 Highway To: Nowhere (City Of The Dead)

Nick was driving and his fingers were still bleeding, he stopped in the middle of the high road to make sure he stopped bleeding out, because of his diabetes his fingers would keep bleeding for a long time, he got into his car again not even knowing where he was going, he just had to get out of that place.

He started thinking of everything he did, of everything that happened that day, he realized telling the truth was more painful than staying quiet, he felt so guilty about lying to his brother, and because he fooled everyone he cares about, he broke that bond he had with Joe, he tore his family apart, he hurt his friends, and he ended up with all the peace and joy that was between them, he begged for a way to ease the pain of knowing it was all his fault, cause it was so difficult. 

He was so tired he began nodding his head, he fought to stay awake, but his eyelids were heavy and his sight grew dim, he stayed conscious for 17 more minutes, but ended up falling asleep, when he woke up he realized he slept for 13 minutes, and he worried because he was still tired and he wouldn´t make it, so he parked his car on the sideway and went down to the lake that was next to the highway, he dip his head in the cold water, it was like an alarm clock, he now had an non-stop energy, so he couldn’t stop driving.

He was driving at night as he saw a man standing in the middle of the highway, he tried to swerve him and he almost trampled him, but he work it out, he frightened so much he almost had a heart attack, he took a deep breath and went on.

Miles after he saw this man again, but this time he had no chance to swerve him, Nick closed his eyes and put his arm in front his face, and when he was about to knock him down, he suddenly disappeared, Nick opened his eyes confused and looking for the manbut he was no longer there.

For 4 hours he saw a lot of people in the highway, there were children, women, and even a dog, he couldn’t stand why there was so many people in there, and almost all of them disappeared when he was near them, he couldn’t find the place he was in on the map.

After that, he was driving and he saw this blinding light, it was a bus heading on to him, this time he was not going to swerve it till the bus disappeared, he was tired of that so he hit the gas and went right towards it; the bus hit his car at full speed, his head broke the windshield, his car crashed the mountain that was next to the highway. It was the worst car accident that he had been on, he woke up later, his head was bleeding along with the bruises that appeared all over his body, the car was completely destroyed and the bus was on fire.

He started walking on the sidewalk, he was shocked he could even stand up, he was looking for help but it was so hard to find it.

30 Boulevard Of Broken Dreams

The camp chief noticed Nick’s car was missing so he went to ask Stella who was around there.

“Where’s Nick’s car?”

“What?” She acted like she didn’t know anything.

“Where is Nick’s car? It was parked here an hour ago,” He asked again.

“He left.” Stella said sadly.

“He left? Where?” He asked worried.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” She looked stressed. “I’m gonna go look for him.” He ran away to his car, got into it, and went to the driveway.

 

He drove 18 minutes, and found a terrifying car accident; it was a bus and a car, so he went down and tried to figure out what was happening, he found out the car was a black Mustang Cobra, the exact model Nick’s car was. He looked for the plaque, he saw the things that were inside the car, a jacket, 2 suitcases, a cell phone and a wallet, all of them burned and tore into pieces; everything seemed like Nick’s, he opened the wallet and saw Nick’s driving license in there,he quickly looked for him, but there was no one there, he asked the firemen if they knew about him, but they told him they only found 13 parts of bodies, and apparently there were 27 people on the bus, but it had exploded, most of the people had just exploded too and their bodies were just impossible to find; Gary looked for him for 2 hours, but he didn’t find him, he asked the men if they saw someone walking away, but they told him “I don’t think someone could walk away after this kind of disaster, and I’m sorry but I’m afraid none of the persons that were on the accident survived.” He couldn’t believe it, there was nothing else to do so he grabbed all Nick stuff and went back to the camp.

 

*~*

 

“Nick already left?” Kevin, Marianna and Macy asked Stella.

“Yes he left an hour ago, and Gary went look to for him.” She answered.

“I’m so worried; did he tell you where he was going?” Kevin asked.

“Nop, he just left.”

“He didn’t say anything before he went?” Macy asked.

“He just fought with Dianna.”

“What?” Everybody screamed.

“Yes, he yelled at her, he told her he HAD a crush on her but she was mean, and then he said _good luck trying to find me_ and left.” She explained.

“Wow, that’s so cool!” Marianna said impressed.

“But it also worries me.” Kevin said. “I got a feeling that something bad happened.” Kevin said sitting down on the grass.

“Don’t worry Kevs I’m sure Gary is gonna find where he is.” Marianna tried to comfort him.

“I hope so.” He answered. At that moment Sean and Jenna arrived.

“What’s going on here?” Jenna asked.

“Yeah! you look kinda worried, man,” Sean told Kevin.

“Nick left.” Macy answered.

“What! Why?” Jenna asked.

“I said the exact same thing.” Kevin said.

“He left because he was tired of being here,” Marianna said.

“And he was tired of Dianna’s games.” Stella continued.

“And his brother.” Macy finished.

“That’s horrible.” Sean said.

“We know, and now the camp chief is looking for him.” Macy said.

“Hope he finds him.” Jenna said when they saw Joe and Dianna walking towards them.

“What’s happening here?” Joe asked rudely.

“None of your business little boy.” Marianna answered sarcastically.

“Where’s Nick?” Joe asked.

“He left.” Jenna helped Marianna.

“Why?”

“WHY?! You wanna know why? He left because of you and your little girlfriend!” Kevin who stayed quiet for a moment till then said.

“Told you honey, he’s a coward.” Dianna told Joe.

“He’s not a coward, he was just getting away of your sick mind!” Marianna yelled.

“Don’t you dare talking to my girlfriend like that!” Joe fought back.

“I can talk however I want.” Marianna started to look really pissed off when Gary appeared.

“Gary!” Stella screamed after realizing he was there.

“Hello,” He said listless.

“What’s this?” Jenna asked him about all the stuff he was carrying.

“These are Nick’s things,” He answered.

“But they are burned, and tore up, what happened?” Kevin asked really worried.

“Guys I got to tell you something.” He said totally sad as everybody was gathering together except of course for Joe and Dianna.

“Nick, it’s so difficult to say but, Nick, is…dead.”


	5. Losing Yourself

_Chapter 5: Losing Yourself_

 

31 Fix You

 

Nick woke up in a room, everything seemed abandoned, the walls were scratched, the furniture was old and completely neglected, the floor was dirty, and it had this creepy lugubrious look, he stood up and walk out of the room, he found himself in a hallway, long and dark. He walked till he found a room full of persons, they were estrangers, he didn’t understand why he was there, everyone was on their own world, till he heard a voice calling him, so he turned around to see.

 

“Hi sweetie! How are you feeling?” Said a girl with white hair, a thunder on her cheek, and a crozier, she looked weird so Nick just stared at her.

“You know, the car accident? Do you remember?” She asked worried.

“Yes I remember,” He answered. “Where am I?” He asked.

“You are now in the place known as _The Lair of Eternal Laughter_.” She said.

“Known by who?” He said ironically.

“By us.” She answered sure.

“And why am I here in _mad-Town_?” He asked.

“You are here because I brought you when I found you laying in the middle of the high road unconscious and bleeding,” She explained. “And by the way this isn’t _mad-town_ , ok?” She started to look upset.

“I don’t know this place so I can call it however I want.”

“Ok, go to the living room and eat something Mathew,” Pushing him away.

“My name is Nick, not Mathew.” He said grumbling.

“Yes, but I don’t know you so I can call you however I want, and I want to call you Mathew.” She said winning the strike.

He walked through the room and saw a lot of strange people, they seemed to had been there for years, he didn’t understand what this place was for, until he saw something that caught his attention; it was a beautiful black piano located in a dark corner, he ran to it and sat down, it had a few keys missing and sounded different, he played random notes for 10 minutes until he heard a voice saying. “I believe you are sitting in MY piano,” He looked over his shoulder and saw a girl with messed-up hair and dark clothes standing next to him.

“Sorry I didn’t know this was your...”

“I am kidding.” She said with a broken smile.

“Ok, do you wanna sit?” He said sitting aside making room for her.

“So why are you here?” She asked as she started playing the piano too.

“I had a car accident and luckily survived but your friend…” He said pointing at the white haired girl.

“You mean Gaga.”

“Her name is Gaga?” He asked confused.

“Noup, her real name is Kathelyn but we call her Gaga, she’s the one in charge of this place, but you were telling me why are you here, go ahead, continue.”

“Oh yeah, your friend, well Gaga found me and brought me here, I ended up here because of her.” He ended up.

“No.”

“Excuse me?” He seemed confused again.

“What?”

“You said _no_.”

“Yes, no.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t ask you _how did you get here?_ because I know why you’re here, I asked you _why are you here_?”

“Oh yeah! then why am I here?” He said challenging her.

“You’re here because of the same reason we all are here.”

“And that is…”

“You were so broken that you asked for a way to ease the pain, and that’s the reason why you are here, you’re here to be fixed.”

 

_*Flashback:*_

“Ok I’ll tell her, but for how long are you going?” Kevin said.

“I’m leaving for the time it takes to fix me up.”

“Ok, I understand.”

“Goodbye bro, I love you.” He said hold him.

“I love you too, see you,” Kevin answered.

_*End Flashback*_

 

“I understand.” He said.

“Really? No one understands it the first day.”

“Well, I do; so what’s your name?”

“My name is Isabella,” She answered not so proud.

“Are you sure? You don’t seem pleased with that name.” He said talking about her attitude.

“Well it is because I think that name doesn’t fit me.”

“You’re right; well my name is Nick.”

“Really? You look more like a Mathew.”

“I guess so.” He said. “For how long have you been here?”

“I’m the person that’s been here for the longest time, except for Gaga of course.”

“And why are you here?”

“You know it’s been so much time that I almost don’t remember…”

 

* * *

 

 

32 Funeral Song

 

“What!” Everyone said in sync.

“That’s right, I found there was a car accident, and it happened to be Nick’s car, and nobody survived,” He said painfully.

“What?” Everyone said again.

“What you heard, I already called your parents and they’ll be here in 15 minutes, I’m so sorry guys, I’ll be here if you wanna talk.” He said at the edge of crying.

“This is a joke right? Please tell me this is a joke! Tell me it’s not true, tell me it’s a lie.” Kevin said crying hopelessly and shaking the chief’s shoulders.

“I’m afraid it’s true, I really wish it wasn’t, but it is.” Everybody was crying except for Dianna, who was shocked too, but tried to hide it. Marianna was holding Kevin so he won’t get a heart attack, Macy was crying with Stella, Jenna and Sean were completely shocked and crying, and Joe passed out, Dianna tried to wake him up, but it wasn’t working, they stayed for 13 minutes and Joe woke up, but he was completely devastated until Sandy and Tom along with Frankie got there. They already knew what was happening as the camp chief told them all by phone, except for Frankie who didn’t know what was happening.

“Kevin, where’s Nick?” Frankie asked innocently.

“Nick is, gone.” He said to not scare him. 

“And when is he coming back?” He asked again.

“He’s not coming back Frank.” Kevin said crying.

“But…” He was about to ask again but he was interrupted by his brother Joe

“Frankie, Nick is dead! Ok? He’s not coming back! Never! Now you know it!” Joe yelled at him.

“But…is that true Kevin?” Frankie asked him completely calmed.

“Yes Frankie, it’s true.”

“Ok.” He walked away serious but confused.

“What’s wrong with you?” Kevin screamed at Joe.

“What?” Joe couldn’t even look people in the eyes.

“Why did you said that to Frankie? He’s just a kid!”

“Yes but he has the right to know his brother is dead!”

“But you aren’t the right person to tell him that!”

“If I don’t do it, then who? Nobody of you was going to tell him that! Because nobody wants to see him cry! And nobody wants to believe it! But guess what! This is real! He’s dead! And the right thing is to tell him that!” Joe said bawling.

“Right thing?! Don’t you dare talk to me about _the right thing to do_!, our brother is dead! Because of your nonexistent sense of doing things the right way!”

“Kevin, calm down.” Marianna told him before he gets sick.

“I’m not going to calm down! It’s all his fault! He’s guilty! He killed him!” Those last words echoed in the silence.

“Kevin, he didn’t kill him.” Marianna tried to fix things up, but they were too broken.

“Yes, he did! If it wasn’t because of his awful way of treating him he wouldn’t have left, and he wouldn’t have died!” Kevin said bawling too.

“Come here Kevs,” Marianna just took Kevin for a walk, he really needed time to cry it out, and it wasn’t working with him yelling to Joe he killed him.

“Don’t worry honey that’s not true,” Dianna tried to make Joe feel OK but it didn’t work.

“No, it is true, it’s all my fault what happened today, I should’ve listened to him, instead of just pushed him away!, I’m the worst brother ever, and now I don’t even have a chance to apologize, my brother is gone.” Joe said seriously instead of crying.

“But…” Dianna didn’t know what to say, Nick’s dead was ruining all her plans.

“Don’t say anything, you don’t have to.” Their parents took them out of the camp, so they can make a funeral for Nick, it was so tragical, they got there, they were gonna burry his memory because they were no body to burry, of course there was no body because he was alive, but they didn’t know it, yet.

It was on their house, they gather the people together and gave the last goodbye to his beloved Nick, everybody was devastated, all of them couldn’t believe it and all were crying, except for one person, who didn’t seem to worry, in fact he was fine, and nobody understood what was happening so Kevin went to talk to him.

“Hey, Frankie what are you doing up here?” Kevin asked crying while he saw him playing video games.

“I’m playing video games, wanna play?”

“No, why aren’t you downstairs?” He asked confused.

“Because here it’s fun, and I don’t even understand why everybody is crying for Nick.”

“Frankie Nick is…”

“Dead?” He interrupted Kevin. “That’s what everybody says.”

“Then aren’t you sad of…”

“I said that’s what everybody says, but I didn’t say it was true.”

“Frank, it’s true, I know you don’t wanna believe it but…”

“Kevin! He’s not dead! He’s alive.”

“No, he’s not.”

“Yes, he is.”

“No, he’s not!” Kevin said bawling.

“Yes, he…”

“Enough! That’s all I can take of that!” Kevin said slamming the door. Kevin went downstairs, and his father, who was also crying, asked him to say a few words about Nick after asking Joe and being rejected.

“Nick since he was little he always was…special, he had the gift of knowing exactly when you needed something, he was…” Kevin stopped as he saw something completely unexpected.”

 

* * *

 

 

33 Rose Garden

 

“You know it’s been so much time that I almost don’t remember...”

“Go ahead, try.” Nick said softly.

“Well, all started when my mom was 17, and my father left her when she told him she was pregnant, he left her alone in this world with me; my childhood was easy, but there came some trying times, and I had to help my mom in her store, then my mom got sick, and we didn’t have the money to cure her, so she passed away 1 year later.” She started crying. “I was devastated, the only thing that used to keep me up, left me alone, my world tore apart and that’s how I got here.” She said crying.

“Don’t cry.” Nick said worried.

“It’s ok, it’s just that I’d been 4 years without thinking about it at all, and it hurts to remember.” She said calmed.

“I know it, but…you past 4 years without thinking about your family?”

“Mathew, in this place, you don’t longer belong to the outside world, you forget everything you ever were, and become someone else, it’s like if you were exchanged for someone else.” She explained.

“Ok, but who am I gonna be?”

“Look, we don’t have to worry about that now, because your ceremony is n’t going to be until tomorrow.”

“What ceremony?”

“You know what, forget it, tomorrow you’ll know.”

“Ok, well now I have to go, I really need to clear things up with Gaga.”

“Ok.” She said careless as she began playing the piano again. Nick walked for the hallway until he found Gaga.

“Hey, Gaga.”

“So now you know my name,” She said ironically.

“Gaga, I want to know about tomorrow’s ceremony.”

“How do you know about the ceremony?” She said confused.

“Isabella told me.”

“Oh! That girl, she doesn’t know when to stop talking,” She said smiling. 

“But she’s a great girl,” Nick added.

“I know.”

“She’s so beautiful, just like a rose, she could last longer upside down but it’d only hurt her more, her petals are falling, she needs someone to pick them up for her, and it could be me.” He said talking to himself instead of talking to Gaga.

“ _Rose_. We’ve been looking for a way to call her for years, and you’ve found the perfect name, _Rose_. Wow it fits her perfectly, thank you.” She said. “But wait a minute, you only have 2 hours here, not to mention you’ve been sleeping for 1 hour, and you’re already thinking like that, you are not falling for her, are you?” Gaga said.

“I’m not falling for her, I’m just saying she’s beautiful.” He said thinking harder.

“That’s what I thought,” Gaga said smiling.

“What are you thinking about?” He said curious.

“Boy, I’m thinking, you, will be a huge challenge.”

 

* * *

 

 

34 It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over

 

Kevin stopped as he saw something completely unexpected, he saw Frankie with Nick’s Dog Tag on his hand, standing across the room, he quickly stopped talking and went to figure out what was going on.

“Frankie, why do you have Nick’s Dog tag?” He asked.

“I found it.”

“Where?” He asked again.

“In the highway.”

“And what were you doing in the highway?”

“When we drove to the camp, we stopped for 10 minutes and I got out of the car and found it.”

“Exactly where did you find it?”

“Like a lot of time before we got to the camp.”

“Ok, hang on a minute.” Kevin said walking away.

“What’s wrong with you Kevin?” His dad asked him. “How could you go just like that.

“Dad, when did you stop in the highway?” Kevin asked ignoring what he said.

“What? I don’t know.” He answered.

“But was it far from the accident?” He said altered.

“I guess so, I don’t remember, Kevin this.”

“Ok thanks dad.” He said walking away.

“But,” Kevin grabbed his jacket, took Frankie’s wrist, and pulled him to the door.

“Kevin where are we going?” Frankie asked confused.

“We’re gonna find our brother!” They got into the car and as the engine was turning on, they heard a voice saying.

“Where are you going?”

“Joe, not now ok.”

“So now you’re gonna run away?”

“I’m not running away, I’m trying to fix what you’ve done.”

“Kevin, get real!There’s no way to bring our brother back from death!” He said crying.

“I know, but not if he’s not dead,” He said driving away as one tear fell through his cheek. They were driving by the highway.

“Do you remember the place where you found this?”

“Yes, it had a tree that look like a man.”

“Like a man?”

“Yes.” They keep driving for a few minutes, and Kevin couldn’t stop crying.

“Don’t cry Kevs, he’s alive.”

“But what if he isn’t?”

“I know he’s alive Kevin, I know it.”

“Is that the tree you were talking about?” He said pointing to a tree.

“Yes it is!” They got out of the car and Kevin started walking.

“Where are we going?”

“We have to find the place where he’s hiding,”

“Kevin, do you really think he would let us think he’s dead and hide here?” Frankie asked.

“You said he’s alive, right? Then if he’s alive, where is he?”

“Hiding?”

“Right.” He said looking in the forest.

“And what if we don’t find him?”

“We will find him, we have to find him, he can’t go like that, this can’t be over.” Kevin said bawling.

 

* * *

 

 

35 Simple Song

 

Nick walked to his room, and started playing the guitar, as he played some chords, a song came out on his own, it wasn’t meant to be for Isabella, but he couldn’t help it, Gaga was listening to him from the other side of the wall, she had to do something about it so she walked into the room clapping.

“Wow, that’s a very beautiful song Mathew.” She said.

“Thank you,” He said smiling.

“You wrote this song?” She asked.

“Yes, it isn’t finished yet, but it just came out.”

“Well, it’s beautiful, but is such a shame you can’t play it anymore.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to confiscate your guitar.” She said grabbing the guitar’s neck.

“What! Why?” He said yelling and holding on his guitar tightly.

“Mathew, the music is not allowed.”

“But there is a piano on the living room!” He said.

“Yes, but you didn’t let me finish, the music is not allowed for you.”

“Why!? What did I did?”

“It’s not something you did, it’s your past, you used to play for big crowds.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve been watching you, anyway, you have to give up your past, and it involves all kind of music.”

“I’m not gonna quit music, just because you say so.”

“You _are_ going to quit music if you want to get fixed.”

“I can’t live without music.”

“Tomorrow you’ll see you can.” She said walking out of the room with his guitar an her hand. Nick stayed sitting there; he couldn’t believe he was private from music just because he used to be a musician, it didn’t make sense, but I guess things sometimes don’t make sense. He went to sleep earlier; he didn’t want to think about it, the next day would be a new one. He woke up the next morning; he was ready to take everything that life put in front of him at any cost. He found Isabella sitting in the piano, and he went to talk to her.

“Hi, Isabella, how are you doing?”

“I’m fine, how are you?, I heard about the music thing.”

“I know, it’s so tragic, but she’s giving me food and shelter, is something I have to do in return.” He said listless.

“Yes, that’s true, but you have to beware, Matthew.”

“Beware? Of what!?” He seemed confused.

“Just keep your eyes wide open, you’ll know.”

“Ok, thank you, I think.”

“So what are you gonna do without music?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll figure out a way to make them trust me and return to me the incredible power of music!”

“Yeah! Keep dreaming.”

“So are you going to the ceremony today?”

“Everybody is going.”

“And what is it about?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“But, it’s a good thing, right?”

“You’ll figure it out by your own, so what were you doing when they took away part of your life?”

“I was writing a song.”

“You write songs? Wow that’s cool, I could never write a song, it’s so difficult.”

“It’s not difficult, plus it was just a simple song.”

“Simple song?”

“Yes, with simple chords, simple words, and simple feelings.”

“I would love you to play it.”

“I’d love to play it too, but…” He said staring at the ground.

“You can’t, I know, don’t worry, you better get ready for the ceremony.”

“Ok I will see you there.” He said returning to his room.

“Hope you’ll be ready for this.”

 

* * *

 

 

36 Somewhere I Belong

 

“This can’t be over,” Kevin said bawling.

“But, how are we gonna find him?” Frankie said. “We have to have a plan.”

“I don’t know but somehow we have to prove he’s alive.”

 

*~*

 

The ceremony was about to start and Nick was looking for Isabella on the audience but he couldn’t find her.

“Now I wanna ask Nicholas Lucas to come up here.” Gaga said standing on a stage.

Nick walked to where she was and smiled at her, he was looking to the new mark he had on his hand, it was a dot, it didn’t seem big whoop but it had something interesting.

“This ceremony is to welcome you to our home,” After this was said everybody clapped. “Nick, in this place we have a lot of rules, and each one of them has to be followed exactly, once you accept each rule you will be forever bounded to them until you apply them, are you committed to apply them?”

“I guess I’ll have to hear them before answering.”

“That’s why we have our 5 rules responsible ones.”

“The first one talks about justice,” Said a man with a worn-out black suit. “You’ll be treated as you treat everybody else.” He continued. “You agree?”

“Fair enough.”

“The second one talks about unity.” Said a woman wearing a tore out flower dress. “You partners are gonna become your family, all equitably.”

“I think that’s cool.”

“The next stands for change.” Said a little girl who wore a multi-colored jumpsuit and two horse tails. “You have to become someone else, maybe a Mathew, and leave your past person behind.”

“Ok, I don’t like that,” He said kinda upset. “You want me to be somebody else?, I can’t be someone else, I’m me, I told you Gaga that I wanted people to love me for who I am.”

“And I also told you, you were gonna have to be someone else to be fixed, and if you don’t agree with All the rules, then you can grab your things and go.” Nick held still for 2 minutes and suddenly said. “Ok, I’ll be Mathew.”

“The forth rule is _The Lair of Eternal Laughter_ is your home now, you only belong here, and you have committed to always be here.” Said an old man, sitting on a wheelchair.

“Always?” He wasn’t sure.

“Just let me explain it for you, this is the only place where you’ll be at _home_.”

He hesitate but finally said. “I don’t have another place to be, so for now I guess I can call it that.”

“Ok, and last but no least,” Gaga said. “You’ll have to _let go_.”

“Let go? What do I have to let go?I have nothing left, you took away my music, my freedom and even myself, what other thing I could let go besides my family.” Everybody kept quiet staring at him like hiding something.

“Unless it is my family,” Nick started to look worried. “It isn’t my family right?” And nobody answered.

“My family? Really? you want me to forget about my family? I can’t even imagine how to do that.” Nick started yelling. “I love them, it’s impossible for me to _let them go_! I’m not going to do that! I refuse!”

 

*~*

 

Kevin and Frankie were still looking for Nick when they found someone, it was a girl and she looked pretty oriented, so they stopped to ask for Nick.

“Excuse me girl, have you seen my brother?” Kevin asked her completely calmed.

“Who is your brother?” She said.

“He is a tall boy, with curly brown hair, and 17 years old.”

“Wait a minute, this boy has birthmarks in the shape of a square?”

“Yeah! that’s our brother Nick.”

“Oh Nick! Of course I’ve seen him, he’s my friend.”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course I’m serious, I’ll lead you to him.”

“Thank you.” Kevin said, and then he turned to his little brother. “Did you hear Frankie? He IS alive!” He said with his eyes filled of tears of joy.

“I told you!, I knew he was not dead!” Frankie said excited.

“Dead!? He’s not dead he’s safe and sound!” Isabella said cheery.

“This is the best thing ever!” Kevin said crying again. They walked through the forest until they got to _The Lair._

“This way, he must be at the end of this hall.” Isabella said. They went into the room where the ceremony was taking place and found Nick yelling at everyone. “I’m not gonna do it!”

“Nick!” both brothers screamed when they saw him.

“What are they doing here? Isabella!” Gaga screamed as she was walking toward them.

“I just…”

“They can’t be here! Get them out!” She said pushing them out and slamming the door. Nick ran to the door, he could see his brothers again; he could go back to his life. Gaga stopped him, and told him.

“You made a promise; you gave us your word you can’t go.”

“But I have to go.”

“I said you stay here!” She screamed as she stacked her crozier on the floor producing a blinding white light, Nick just fell to the floor covering his eyes from the light.

“You will keep your promise! Whether you like it or not!” She said as she touched Nick’s arm mark, and making him pass out these mark was made by Gaga’s crozier when Nick first got there, it was a number 705 to be exact, but it was design to control people in _The Lair_ , more specifically to make them faint.

 

*~*

 

“No!” You can’t leave us here! I have to have my brother back, you know what it is to feel like your brother’s dead for two days!?” Kevin said to Isabella.

“We have to listen to Gaga, she rules the place.”

“I don’t care what Gaga says, I want my brother now!” He said when Frankie started crying.

“You will have your brother back unless he has already given his word.”

“How do we know if he did that?” Kevin asked. “Give us one sign!” He said as Gaga opened the door and they saw Nick unconscious on the floor. “I think that’s one.”

 

* * *

 

 

37 Paparazzi (The Fame Monster)

 

Joe was devastated, he couldn’t stop thinking it was all his fault; outside the house, the media gathered to know more about Nick’s dead. It was such a sad picture, he was watching all the people gather together to remember nick.

He tried to forget it turning on the TV, but it only made it worse, everyone was talking about the accident and how one of the hottest stars at the moment: the Lucas Brothers, had died suddenly. He couldn’t handle it, it was his fault, he shouldn’t have treated him like that, his brother was dead and there was nothing he could do to fix it.

*~*

 

“Open the door!” Kevin screamed.

“You have to wait until it’s time,” Isabella said.

“And when it’s his time?”

“Gaga is the only one who can answer that.”

“I wanna talk to her now!” He yelled.

“Did you call me?” Gaga said appearing behind them.

“Yes I called you! I want my brother back,” He said as Frankie was hiding behind him.

“He can’t go now.”

“Who do you think you are to decide what I do with my brother?”

“Your brother gave us his word, he’s ours now.”

“No! he’s not! he’s OUR brother you can’t kidnapped him.”

“He decided to stay here as much time as he needs to get fixed.”

“I don’t care what he said! I want him now!”

“Look sweetheart, the only thing I can do for you is let you help me to get him fixed.”

“How?”

“You will have to leave him here a few more days, and mainly bring the persons who brought him here.”

“What? You said he had to forget about them.”

“It would work if he was allowed to stay here, but now that he’s gonna leave, he has to face the truth.”

“You are telling me the only way to get him out of here is by bringing Joe and Dianna?”

“Yes.”

“That is gonna be a problem.”

 

On the fire house:

 

The media broke the windows and entered to the house trying to get more information, the fire house was a disaster. Everyone on the family was stalked by them, Dianna tried to reach for Joe but he just blocked his mind, he wanted to go back to the days they all were happy, but it seems it was kind of his fault. Everybody tried to talk to him but he seemed so far away though he was standing near, he didn’t hear a thing everyone was saying, he was just there, consumed on his reverie and thoughts.

Downstairs Macy and Stella cried in the kitchen as a paparazzi was asking them how they felt, the Lucas parents were completely depressed, they didn’t even realized Frankie was no longer in the house, the media was only making it worse, some of them said Nick died because he was driving drunk, others said he was depressed and he killed himself, and the ones left just said somebody murdered him; they all were trying to get a piece of valuable information but they ended up taking away everything of the place.

All of their stuff was gone or broken and ruined, especially Nick’s, except for the rose Nick left hanged upside down before leaving to the camp, it was still alive, but it’s petals started to look tired, and some were already on the floor, Joe took this as a sign, his brother’s life was ending, he was dead (or so he thought) but it wasn’t over yet, once the media gets over him everybody will start to forget him and he’ll become just a blurred memory that just keeps fading in the past and being left behind; that kind of thoughts drove Joe on the edge of doing something stupid that could have ruined his life forever.

 

* * *

 

 

38 We Belong To The Music

 

Nick woke up in his bed, _The Lair Of Eternal Laughter_ one, he didn’t know what happened the night before, the only thing he could remember was his brother running through the door and Gaga trying to stop him; everything was darkened, he went out of his room to look for anyone, especially for Kevin, Frankie, or Isabella.

He walked through a hallway he had never seen before, he couldn’t find anyone so he decided to entered to the door, he found himself walking down on stairs, when he finally got down, he saw a big room, it was all burned up, you could hear people wailing and crying from far away, when suddenly he saw someone sitting on a wheel chair, he felt so happy he was not alone in that horrible place, he got closer to that person and touched his shoulder to catch his attention, but when he turned around Nick realized his face was burnt, he grabbed Nick’s face and he begged for help crying.

Then Nick tried to go away but he looked around and now the room was full of burnt people dragging on the floor trying to reach him for help, they grabbed Nick’s legs to make him see them, Nick tried to shake them off, but they became more and more every second, when a hand touched his shoulder and yelled: “Mathew what are you doing here!” he stirred his head and saw Isabella, everyone else was gone, apparently he just imagined them, but they seemed so real that it was impossible to think they were just an hallucination, he and Isabella went upstairs.

“You have to help me get out of here.” Nick asked Isabella.

“But, how?” She asked back.

“I think I have a plan.” He said thinking. “If I disobey all of her laws she will definitely kick me out as soon as she can.”

“Are you going to challenge her?” She asked. “Are you crazy?”

“Maybe, but it’s the only way,” Nick said laughing. “You are going to be perfect for the work.”

“The work?” She asked confused.

“Just follow me.” Nick said. They walked to Nick’s room and planed what they were going to do to get out of there, it took them 3 hours, but the master plan was finally finished and ready to start.

They started with something easy: returning to be _just Nick_ ; they made sure Gaga was watching them when all of the persons in the place were sitting in a circle listening to Nick’s stories; they were about Nick’s tour and life of star. 

“Yes and then Kevin power slide on the stage floor and the fire came out, it was so amazing. The music was so loud that everybody was screaming, even us,”

“Excuse me, can I talk to you for a minute Mathew,” Gaga said completely mad.

“Sure.” He said mocking. “What’s up?”

“ _What’s up_? What are you doing? You are supposed to be quiet about your past life.” She said yelling.

“I don’t follow the rules.”

“But you promised us to.”

“I don’t keep my promises,” He said walking away.

The day after that he woke up and was ready to mess up with more rules, the first one of the day: being a jerk.

He walked through the hallway and got to the launch, when then he saw that girl sat on that beautiful piano, playing one of his favorite songs, he couldn’t help it but sitting down and playing along, they made a good team, and moments after they wrote a song together it was called _Music Brings Us Together._ Nick felt so alive, he knew it was wrong but that’s what made it perfect, if Gaga finds out about this she’ll definitely kick him out, so it was the perfect plan.

That song was so beautiful and romantic that left Isabella thinking Nick wanted her like something more than just friends, but it wasn’t exactly what Nick meant, Isabella was in love with Nick, and she didn’t know if he feel the same way, and that was going to be a problem.


End file.
